A deadly attack on a school van in Pakistan's Swat Valley has sparked fears of a resurgence in Taliban activity in the region. Thousands have protested against the possible return of a militant presence to Swat.
Activists and members of minority communities say Pakistan's culture of impunity, along with state inaction, is fueling the rise of hate crimes and blasphemy accusations.
Despite repeated calls on the Taliban to allow girls to attend classes again, the group still has yet to answer. Netizens have taken to the web under the #LetAfghanGirlsLearn campaign to demand back the right to study.
The Taliban have further curbed women's rights with their latest veil compulsion decree. Afghanistan's civil society faces an uphill task to challenge the group without adequate support from the international community.
The West can't afford to simply stand by and watch how the Taliban turn back the clock in Afghanistan. For the sake of the people there and in its own self-interest it must act, says Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi.