Panah Press | Friday, October 30, 2026
Amirhossein Qiyasi, an Iranian television presenter and comedian, has responded on his satirical programme to remarks by Hamdullah Nomani, the Taliban-appointed mayor of Herat, about the city competing with Dubai within the next ten years.
In a humorous tone, Qiyasi addressed the Taliban mayor, saying that if he wanted Afghanistan to make even 20 years’ worth of progress, he should allow women and girls to receive an education.
Referring to the role of women in the development of countries, he added: “A country where women have no role will get nowhere, let alone become like Dubai.”
The remarks come more than five years after the Taliban returned to power. However, girls above the sixth grade are still barred from attending school, and women are also prohibited from continuing their education at universities.
According to figures from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), more than 2.6 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of secondary education. These girls are spending crucial years of their lives away from classrooms and learning opportunities.
Although Qiyasi’s remarks were made in the form of satire, they point to a harsh reality: a country cannot speak of progress and competing with major cities around the world while depriving women and girls of education and participation in shaping the country’s future. Progress cannot be achieved through construction and the expansion of urban facilities alone; women’s presence and role in education, the economy and society are also fundamental pillars of development.
This segment of Qiyasi’s programme has been reshared on social media and attracted users’ attention.
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