The spokesperson of the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, has said in response to recent discussions regarding the death of Dr. Gulalai in Nangarhar that the incident falls under the category of suicide cases.
In a written statement, he did not directly address the accusations leveled against the Taliban or the public’s questions, but noted that suicide cases in the past were associated with ignorance and lack of education. He added, however, that today even individuals with higher education and social awareness resort to such acts.
According to him, family and social factors play a significant role in the background of such incidents. Khyber claimed that harmful customs, forced decisions, domestic pressure, and social isolation can lead some individuals to end their lives.
He also cited examples from developed countries, stating that cases of suicide are also observed among famous and wealthy individuals there. However, he described such incidents involving educated individuals within a religious society as a matter of concern.
On the other hand, local sources in Pachiragam district of Nangarhar province, along with audio messages said to have been recorded by Dr. Gulalai, indicate that she had been facing pressure and harassment from a local Taliban commander. Based on these allegations, a large number of people and social media users have described the incident not as suicide but as an intentional killing, claiming that efforts are underway to conceal the true cause of the case.
So far, no independent and detailed investigative findings have been released by the Taliban regarding these allegations.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
