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ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban authorities have removed women from the government payroll, ending reduced salaries for female civil servants who have been barred from working since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, according to a new United Nations report. According to a report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), media outlets reported on Jan. 17 that women were no longer receiving payments in several provinces, effectively terminating their status as government employees. Some women were informed directly by their employers that they had been dismissed, while others discovered they had lost their jobs only when their monthly salaries failed to arrive, the report said. The move marks another tightening of restrictions on women under Taliban rule, which has sharply curtailed their participation in public life, education and employment. The report said Afghan women, including female UN staff, contractors and visitors, have been barred from entering UN premises nationwide since Sept 7, 2025. As of March 31, Afghan women had been unable to access UN offices across the country for 205 consecutive days, the mission said. The United Nations and rights groups have repeatedly condemned the measures, saying they amount to systematic discrimination and have deepened the humanitarian and economic crisis facing millions of Afghans.&nbsp;

Women in Herat wearing burqas (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Afghanistan

Authorities remove Afghan women from the government payroll, ending reduced salaries for female civil servants barred from working since returning to power in 2021.

Afghan Taliban cut salaries of women banned from government offices: UNAMA

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s spokesman for foreign media, Mosharraf Zaidi, while refuting the Afghan Taliban&rsquo;s claims of targeting a hospital and civilians, says Pakistan&rsquo;s recent strikes in Afghanistan were aimed solely at terrorists and are grounded in precise intelligence, driven entirely by the need to protect its citizens. Speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV, the prime minister&rsquo;s spokesman rejected allegations levelled by the Afghan Taliban that a hospital in Kabul was struck. Zaidi maintained that the target was &lsquo;Camp Phoenix&rsquo;, which he described as a long-standing weapons and training facility used by terrorist groups. He emphasized that Pakistan&rsquo;s anti-terrorism operations are &ldquo;targeted, precise, and intelligence-led,&rdquo; and dismissed opposing claims by the Taliban and some media as unverified. &ldquo;The burden of proof lies with those making the accusations,&rdquo; he said, adding that no credible evidence has been presented to support claims of civilian infrastructure being hit. Pakistan maintains that its actions are part of a broader counterterrorism campaign targeting groups operating from Afghan territory with tacit support from the Afghan Taliban. Officials in Islamabad argue that repeated diplomatic efforts since 2021, including references to commitments made under the Doha Agreement, have failed to curb cross-border militancy. Independent analysts note that tensions between the two neighbours have escalated sharply in recent months, with Pakistan reporting increased attacks by terrorist groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan targeting both security forces and civilians. Zaidi reiterated that Pakistan does not view military action as a long-term solution but as a necessary response. &ldquo;We are pursuing a very specific, very targeted, very precise campaign against terrorist infrastructure,&rdquo; he said, adding that operations would continue as long as threats to Pakistani citizens persist. He further stressed that any pause in counter-terrorism operations would depend on &ldquo;clear, measurable action&rdquo; against the militant networks by the Afghan Taliban. &ldquo;Once there is a decisive break from support to these groups and the threat is eliminated, these strikes will stop,&rdquo; Zaidi said, underscoring that Pakistan&rsquo;s priority remains the safety and security of its people

Security

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesman for foreign media, Mosharraf Zaidi, while refuting the Afghan Taliban’s claims of targeting a hospital and civilians, says Pakistan’s recent strikes in Afghanistan were aimed solely at terrorists and are grounded in precise intelligence, driven entirely by the need to protect its citizens

Articles tagged with "Afghan Taliban’s"

Afghan Taliban cut salaries of women banned from government offices: UNAMA

Pakistan says strikes in Afghanistan target terrorists; operations continue until threats neutralized

Afghan Taliban cut salaries of women banned from government offices: UNAMA