Rule of Law

Critics accuse the interim government of failing to protect minorities and civil rights, amid allegations of arbitrary arrests. The withdrawal of the CAT reservation is seen as a crucial reform, potentially aiding over 1,000 custody deaths and 677 disappearances reported during Hasina’s era.

This latest edict from Akhundzada, who rarely appears in public and rules from Kandahar, reinforces his absolute authority.

These developments occur against a backdrop of worsening human rights under Taliban rule, including severe restrictions on women and girls, arbitrary detentions, and impunity for abuses.

Beyond classroom sessions, the programme also included educational and cultural visits aimed at providing participants with broader exposure to India’s legal, cultural and historical contexts.

Violence against children emerged as another pressing issue. The committee raised alarms over sexual violence, particularly against boys, gender-based violence, corporal punishment, and online abuse.

Experts warn that slowing global growth and elevated price levels could combine in a scenario akin to stagflation, while debt vulnerabilities across public, corporate and household sectors could amplify financial instability.

The UN report, issued on January 13, finds that sexual violence was “part of a deliberate, widespread, and systemic pattern of violations” by state security forces, and “may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Health minister Sudha Gautam, a senior gynaecologist herself, is positioned to drive change. Experts urge her to prioritise regulation, monitoring, and awareness campaigns.