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KABUL: The extremist groups have recently focused on the universities across the country as good places for propaganda and recruitment the youth, university students say. The faculties of law and theologies are considered as main brainwashing centers for the extremist groups.
Basira Akhtar, a student at the Kabul University, has been one of the victims of extremism. The 22 years old girl, is at her last semester at the faculty of law, and says that she was twice beaten by the people related to extremist groups.
“Three months ago, a group of people came to me and started beating me up just because my headscarf did not completely cover my hair. They accused me of evangelism, while severely fisting and kicking me. One month later, another group of extremists attacked me with pieces of wood. They were telling me that it was an Islamic country,” Ms. Akhtar said.
This is an example of tens of acts of extremist affiliates such Daesh terrorist group and Taliban who are working hard to change universities to recruitment centers, which is a big threat for the future of Afghanistan and peace in this country. A Kabul University lecturer was arrested last month by security forces on charge of preaching in favor of Daesh.
Security officials said last month that a group of extremists were arrested with a lecturer of Kabul University and three former theology students among them who were students of the arrested lecturer. A few days after that, another lecturer was arrested for the similar charge.
The state-run university in Nangarhar, a province in the east which borders Pakistani tribal areas, has turned recently to a field for Daesh recruitment, while Taliban have also active presence.
A research on the extremism says that 34 per cent of interviewed persons support the democratic government of Afghanistan, while 51 per cent more say they support the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (official name for Taliban government 1996-2001), but suggest the Islamic Caliphate instead of Emirate.
Abdol Wahhab Seddiqi, a journalism professor in the Heart University in the west of the country, said that he was invited by Hizb ul Tahrir party (a Wahhabi-inspired terrorist organization), which is an international party and seeks a rule based on Islamic caliphate.
“Their goal is to found Islamic caliphate in Afghanistan and the removal of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. They were teaching their goals in the cover of religious subjects. They say that Afghanistan is an occupied country and jihad is an obligation,” the professor said.
Habib Rahman Noori, a graduate of law faculty from Kabul University, said he was witnessing many efforts of extremism and even lecturers publicly encouraged students.
“I saw these events from the beginning to the end of my education terms. There are some lecturers who have educated in Islamic seminaries in the neighboring countries. They are completely dark-minded people and are pessimist against the country, government and people and they want an Islamic Caliphate instead of the democratic government.”
Vice President, Sarwar Danesh warned against the spread of extremism during a seminar in Kabul.
“If extremist ideologies are taught in the universities instead of knowledge and research, our country will once again head toward deviance and crisis. I call on all honorable university lecturers and religious scholars to stand against extremism with logic.”
Kabul University Chancellor, Hamidullah Farooqi, said that the university was unable to be safe from what happens in the society. However, he promised to save the university against these ideas.
