KABUL
\nReligious and ethnic leaders from across Afghanistan discussed girls\u2019 education at a gathering organised by the country\u2019s Taliban rulers on Thursday \u2014 but without any women taking part.
\nIt was the first such meeting since the Taliban took over Afghanistan last August as Western forces withdrew, a change in power that raised international concern about a curtailment of women\u2019s rights.
\nIn March the Taliban backtracked on their announcement that high schools would open for girls, saying they would remain closed until a plan was drawn up in accordance with Islamic law for them to reopen.
\nOne attendee at the gathering in Kabul, Sayed Nassrullah Waizi from central Bamiyan province, said girls should be allowed to attend high school.
\n\u201cThey will learn and will be a good guide for their children in society,\u201d he said.
\nBut it was not clear how much support this sentiment would receive or how a decision on the issue might be reached.
\nThe Taliban\u2019s spokesman said the group would respect whatever those at the gathering decided on girls\u2019 schooling but that the final decision would be made by the Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhunzada.
\nIt was not yet confirmed if the reclusive leader, who is based in the southern city of Kandahar, would attend, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference.
\nCivil society groups have criticised the lack of female participation in the gathering.
\nTaliban acting deputy prime minister said women were involved because their male relatives would attend. Mujahid said women could be included in future similar meetings.
\nForeign governments have said the Taliban needs to change its course on women\u2019s rights before economic sanctions imposed after they seized power can be lifted. Afghanistan is in a deep economic crisis as billions in central bank reserves have been frozen.
\nActing Prime Minister Mohammad Hasan Akhund said in a speech at the gathering that it was aimed at addressing challenges and solving problems.
\n\u201cThis government has been reached after a lot of sacrifice, we should work together to strengthen it,\u201d he said.
\nLocal media reported sounds of gunfire near the site. The Taliban spokesman said there was no threat and that security guards had fired on a \u201csuspicious location\u201d, without providing details.
\nThe gathering appeared similar to a \u201cloya jirga\u201d, a traditional form of decision-making in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KABUL Religious and ethnic leaders from across Afghanistan discussed girls\u2019 education at a gathering organised by the country\u2019s Taliban rulers on Thursday \u2014 but without any women taking part. It was the first such meeting since the Taliban took over Afghanistan last August as Western forces withdrew, a change in power that raised international concern […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":269306,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[8996,9247,192],"class_list":{"0":"post-269292","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-girls-education","9":"tag-takeover","10":"tag-taliban"},"yoast_head":"\n