Taliban Bans IPL Broadcast over Presence of Women Spectators in Stadiums

The Taliban, in another diktat that runs counter to its promise of being a moderate face, has banned the broadcasting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) - the most lucrative and important cricket tournament in the world -in Afghanistan.

It has warned Afghan media outlets against broadcasting the IPL, citing the dancing involved and the presence of women spectators in stadiums.

The terrorist group has stressed that women's rights would be respected within the framework of Islam, but has been short on details or limits to it.

Last week, Afghanistan's new sports chief said that the Taliban will allow 400 sports - but declined to confirm if women can play a single one. "Please don't ask more questions about women," Bashir Ahmad Rustamzai told news agency AFP.

In another chilling statement, a Taliban spokesman said women can't be ministers, they should give birth.

"A woman can't be a minister, it is like you put something on her neck that she can't carry. It is not necessary for women to be in the cabinet - they should give birth. Women protesters can't represent all women in Afghanistan," spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi told TOLO news.

Earlier this month, Taliban's new higher education minister said Afghan women will be allowed to attend university as long as they study separately from men.

The Taliban government is made up exclusively of men.

During the extremists' brutal and oppressive regime from 1996 to 2001, women were completely banned from playing any sport while men's sport was tightly controlled. Women were also largely banned from education and work.

Many Afghan women and women's rights activists globally fear a repeat of such policies after the group toppled the US-backed government last month.