Zakir Naik Defends Taliban's Restrictions on Girls' Education, Faces Regional Backlash
Fugitive Indian preacher Zakir Naik defended the Taliban's restrictions on girls' secondary and higher education in Afghanistan, citing security concerns and a shortage of female teachers. He claimed primary education remains available and that women pursue advanced Islamic studies. His remarks sparked criticism from journalists, activists, and academics across India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, including Malala Yousafzai's father, who called Naik's defense troubling and accused him of downplaying the Taliban's indefinite ban on girls' education.
First-hand measurement across 4 sources
We measured how 4 outlets covered this story. No outlet gave this story a measurable political slant — there is no left–right reading to report. Overall sentiment is negative (27/100). Lens Score 58/100.
Outlets measured: hindustantimes, english, news18, indiatoday. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (25–28/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
indiatoday broke this story on 31 Oct, 01:01 am. Other outlets followed.