Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has disclosed that he has repeatedly rejected requests from interim administration officials in Kabul to publicly praise their governance, making it clear that no endorsement will be forthcoming until secondary and higher education is restored for Afghan girls.
In a recent interview, Karzai revealed that regime authorities frequently question why he refrains from making positive remarks about their administration. His standard response, he noted, has been straightforward: “When girls go back to school, I will have something positive to say about you. Not today.”
Karzai emphasized that female education and women’s participation across professional sectors—including healthcare, education, engineering, and public administration—are absolute prerequisites for a viable, self-sustaining society. He warned that the ongoing refusal to lift sweeping bans on female learning not only cripples domestic development but serves as the primary barrier preventing the administration from gaining international legitimacy.
The former president also highlighted the restrictive environment he continues to navigate in Kabul since the 2021 political transition, noting that his movements are closely monitored and that he is frequently constrained from engaging freely with tribal leaders and external stakeholders. Despite these limitations, Karzai continues to advocate for inclusive governance and national reconciliation, maintaining that sustainable peace in Afghanistan requires bridging internal divides rather than persisting with exclusionary domestic and regional policies.