India never does things we expect it to do

INTERVIEW MAHBOUBA SERAJ, human rights defender and president of Afghan Women’s Network

- NAMRATA BIJI AHUJA

On the night of September 18, a group of Taliban men arrived at the house of Mahbouba Seraj, human rights activist and president of the Afghan Women's Network. They asked questions about her work and then demanded to visit the shelters she ran for girls and women. For the women of Afghanistan, the battle is not yet over, as they continue to live under constant fear and uncertainty.

In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Seraj, who is based in Kabul, said the condition of Afghan women had become terrible under the Taliban. She attributed the Taliban's adversarial attitude to the 20 years of war during which the group had to endure endless American attacks. She also warned that Afghanistan could soon become a hub of global terror under the patronage of the ISI and the Haqqani network.

Excerpts from the interview:

Could you describe the Taliban visit to your home?

A car full of people—around seven to nine tall, burly men—came to my home at 9pm. They said they wanted to see the shelters I ran for women. I told them it was not right to come to my home so late in the night and that their presence made the girls extremely scared. After they left, I had to spend some time with the girls to make them feel comfortable. I have 18 women in one shelter and 14 in another one. The youngest one is 14 and the oldest is above 75. These are abused orphans who belong to disturbed backgrounds. The Taliban does not know how we function.

Have you reached out to anyone in the government?