It is foolish to expect a leopard to change its spots. It is equally naïve to hope the Taliban will deviate from its barbaric ways, notwithstanding their claims to take a new path of governance and the declaration of amnesty to all Afghans especially those who were with the opposition or supported the ‘occupiers.’  

The world sees this as a ploy to garner domestic and international support for their regime. It seems to be a façade to cover-up their butcherous past. The skeptics have been proved right. Even as the sound bites of exoneration and pardon, pompously announced by a Taliban spokesperson, reached homes across the globe,  reports of brutalities against women for not wearing burqa and beating a woman to death for refusing to cook for Taliban fighters have gone viral. This is in line with their previous modus operandi of dealing with those who refuse to toe their line. 

The immediate reason for the tragic turn of events in Afghanistan is the sudden withdrawal of the US forces from there. The Biden Administration may be right in bringing the war to a close as it was being fought at a huge cost to the US, both in terms of human casualties and money. But it should not have been so sudden leading to unimaginable chaos and calamity. Twenty years back, the US forces descended on the Afghan territory to counter the Taliban who had become a Frankenstein’s Monster indirectly created by the former. As the clock turned a full circle, Taliban have made a comeback to the driver’s seat. The US, in its effort to wriggle out of a ‘between the sea and devil’ situation, decided what is good for its people. However, as part of its withdrawal agreement, it could not extract any concession to the Afghan people from the Taliban.      

The ordinary Afghans are the worst-hit by the bewildering turn of events. As the country has gone into the lap of Taliban, it will be governed by Sharia. The older generation of the Afghans, who were cruel victims of the Islamic law, is aware of what is in store for them. Girls will not be able to go to school after the age of 10; they will mostly spend their life within the four walls of their houses, being ‘slaves’ to their men. Even during their outings, which are going to be far and between, they will be accompanied by a male family member. The freedom they enjoyed over the last 20 years will be snatched away by a murderous militia which has no regard for human rights.

It is this feeling of being chocked, devoid of the hitherto enjoyed freedom, that forced Afghans in droves to flock to the airport to flee the country; that made them to clamber on to the wings of the aircraft, only to fall to death. International organizations and other countries cannot shut their eyes to the tragic turn of events in a country that once used to be part of the cradle of civilization. Those who shouted from rooftop ‘save Gaza’ slogans protesting Israel’s attack on Palestinian areas should not go into silent mode. They cannot turn their back on their brethren who are subjected to untold miseries and unspeakable torture. They have to come out of the façade behind which they have taken shelter.