8th march came and went without attraction or attention towards inappropriate status of Afghan women. From early morning till late night, TV and Radio Channels’ programs revolve around the upcoming presidential election. The nightmare of possible relapse of the country into mess of the past have made people worry only about political stability. Every one pinpoints that the country is standing on the very historical juncture that may head directly towards a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan or relapsing back to its chronic miseries.

Amidst such worries there remains nothing to celebrate about role of women in the society. Their rights have changed into a slogan for candidates to attract the attention of foreign countries for providing them with financial and humanitarian support. Unfortunately, the story of last 12 years of foreign military engagement has been the same. Women and Women rights have been the most palatable topic for donors. Those who could convince donors that they work for improving the status of women were entitled to millions of dollars who finally ended to pockets of those who make mockery of women and women rights.  The entire approach was based on project. Every domestic and international NGOs had just a project, ranging from few months to few years.

So, despite achievements, they look far fragile. Any political storm can pull all those development in the sphere of women rights back to where it was during Taliban. Presently many women criticize that they were just a “fund absorber” tools. Radical and fundamentalists move that had no roots have started recruiting from the youngsters. This new phase of fundamentalism can prove far consequential as witnessed in Pakistan, Syria and Iraq. Except Taliban militants who were also an imported radicalism, sectarianism had not been so harsh and violent as the future may become unless serious steps be held. Taliban regime to some extent can be excluded from the somehow religiously tolerant society of Afghanistan. Based on some heart to heart story of people, Afghan society might not have resisted so violent against Godless communist government if the younger members of communist parties have not committed grave mistakes at village level. It is said that younger members who were deployed by communist party across the country were so politically raw. They insulted the very religious values of the people that led to a highly violent reactionary movement.

The communist internal rivalry further complicated the situation. Considering the history, it does not look stupid to claim that if both communist parties---Khalq and Parcham---worked together and avoided internal political and security purification and instead focused on progressive and developmental projects across the country, neither Soviet Republic would have intervened nor subsequent miseries and calamity imposed on Afghans.

What I am trying to tell is that the Afghan society was enough tolerant that even partially lived with communist ideology which had no supporter in some other Islamic countries. Taliban as a radical group has no origin in the country. After the start of political chaos in 1970s, thousands of Afghans left the country not be killed but the finally ended up to religious Madressahs of Pakistan with the financial support of oil-rich Middle East countries. Such large number of graduated students had no jobs based in line with their proficiency. They should have taught people religious issues but people did not them because there were many to do same thing.

So, I think the supply actually creates demand. The oversupply of Madressah graduated students finally pushed the society toward retreating from its tolerant and acceptance. There were no way for theirabsorption in the society other radicalization and polarization. The ideologue world of black and white soon will cover everything. In the case of Taliban, they were very fortunate that they had a ready-made enemy, Soviet Union. Large of number of Afghans graduate and headed directly against the former Soviet army in Afghanistan. As the combat was intensifying, larger numbers of individuals were required to learn very basic things and transferred to forefront of war in Afghanistan. After the USSR withdrawal, these huge source of power needed to direct somewhere in the society because many who developed just retreated back when achieved their own goals. The accumulation of the forced ended up to overrule of Taliban regime which utterly drew a new picture from the country to the world. From once the cradle of civilization, it changed it to headquarter of terrorism and theme for horror movies. That imported and radical power, pummeled the Afghan society and cultivated a religious hatred unlike previous communal one. Now after expenditure of billions of dollars and engagement of 40 countries, the problem still have remained unsolved. Few years of their rule familiarized Afghans with Islamist radicalism. However, the inseparable linkages of radicalism with political power affected its popularity.

But for more dangerous, there is a growing home-grown radicalism. Unfortunately, the government of Afghanistan kept silence in order to show itself as an Afghan government rather than a pro-western establishment. When some stand and issue fetwa that signing bilateral security agreement with the United States against Islamic Shariah, we should be alarmed. The recent release of report about Ashraf-ul-Madaress and the controversial teachings it provide in Qandus Province, Kabul should worry. When a girl of the Madressah stand against her mother and call her infidel, all should worry about the opening a new front of radicalism that would be for more dangerous. Taliban only rejected other sect of Islam, but this new radical movement start battle within a sect.  In such a scenario, the destiny of other sects of is Islam clear: they are all infidels and Jihad against would a religious obligation. Unless serious steps held, not only achievements of last twelve years in every sphere would be destroyed rather for more dangerous calamity will await Afghans.