Taliban teases UN, says banning women workers Afghanistan's 'internal matter'

Kabul: Afghanistan's Taliban administration on Wednesday said that its decision to ban  Afghan women from working for the United Nations was an "internal issue" and added that the policy "should be respected by all sides".The statement came after the global organisation expressed alarm at the decision and said it would review its operations there."The Islamic Emirate doesn’t want to create obstacles against the activities of the UN and that this (decision) is Afghanistan’s internal issue and should be respected," said spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in the Taliban administration's first statement on the decision since the UN acknowledged hearing of the new restrictions last week.Mujahid said the current Afghan humanitarian situation is due to continued sanctions and pressures and those responsible are the ones who restricted the financial and banking system of Afghanistan."The UN member states should solve the issue of frozen Afghan assets, the banking system and travel ban to pave the way for economic, political and security improvements in Afghanistan," Mujahid added.The United Nations has said it cannot accept the decision as it would breach its charter. It has asked all its staff not to go into its offices while it holds consultations and reviews its operations until 5 May.On Tuesday, the UN Mission to Afghanistan said the Taliban administration would be responsible for any negative humanitarian impacts stemming from the ban.Some diplomats and aid officials in Afghanistan and around the world have expressed concerns donors may withdraw support to Afghanistan's humanitarian aid programme, the largest in the world, and that implementing programmes and reaching women in the conservative country would not be possible without female workers.Taliban authorities in December said most Afghan female NGO workers would not be allowed to work.The UN humanitarian agency has said a huge funding plan for Afghanistan for 2023 is less than 5 per cent funded."If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease and death," it said on Wednesday.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.