Tuesday December 5, 2017
Kabul (BNA) A spokesperson to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has said: “Pointing to the world of “Chaadar” scarf in English in speech of the country’s President was a prevalent dialect and a common saying which is never aimed to offend the highly valuable position of women in the country.
Yet, if that interpretation has hurt the feelings of women in our country, the President extends his apology.”
In a ceremony held on the weekend on the occasion of handing over the border police forces command from MoI to MoD, President Ghani responded to claims government officials were allegedly linked to IS. The country’s President said if people could not provide proof they should wear a women’s headscarf.
In a statement released by Presidential Office said: “The President is a very prominent advocate of women’s rights and has taken unique steps to strengthen and preserve their position for the past three years.”
The statement said that women as the society builders are inspired by the religion and the country’s culture.
The president, pointing to his own characteristic and vision building, reminded the effective role of Afghan women and called them as the country’s courageous honorable and capable part of the society, according to the statement.
The speech has followed by series of reactions in social media. Users of social media have considered President Ghani’s remarks as insult to women.
Fawzia Koofi, head of women commission in House of People, in reaction to the remarks of the country’s President said in her Twitter page: “Why wearing scarf is regarded an act of shame among so-called elite politicians. I was surprised to hear from President Ghani. I am proud of my scarf as part of my ID.” Other subscribers in social media even men have similar reactions in this regard. Following the reactions in social media, the country’s President in separate speech in a ceremony held on the occasion of celebration of Birthday of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) extended apology to Afghan women.
He considered the position of women as key in history of Islam, adding that discrimination against citizens was not acceptable.
In the ceremony the country’s President said: “Role of Afghan women is today undeniable too in the country’s changes and developments. We should pay further attention to strengthening of role and position of Afghan women in accordance to Seeratul Nabi – we should praise them for their achievements and successes. Those who are preventing Afghan Muslim women from successes are in fact preventing from the country’s development and Islamic civilization.”
Meanwhile, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani granted in the ceremony state medals to a number of Afghan women. Off course, the country’s President by officially extending apology to the country’s women has shown highly capacity and logic in this regard as in the country there are people who have killed and massacred thousands of innocent people but are not ready to apologize from the people; therefore, President Ghani’s dare in this regard is appreciable.
Lailuma Noori
