Taliban declines invitation to global summit on girls' education

Pakistan’s Ministry of Education has confirmed that the Taliban refused to participate in the global summit titled "Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities," hosted in Islamabad.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Pakistan’s Minister of Education, told AFP on Saturday, January 11, that no Taliban representatives attended the event. The group has yet to officially comment on its absence.

The two-day summit, which began today, brings together representatives from several Muslim-majority countries to emphasize the shared commitment of Muslim communities to empowering girls through education.

The Taliban’s decision to skip the event comes amidst its ongoing ban on girls’ education, which has been in effect for more than three years in Afghanistan.