Fact Check: This picture of man in burqa in pro-Taliban women’s gathering is morphed

After women in Afghanistan repeatedly took to the streets demanding equal rights and representation in the new government, reports emerged of a counter-gathering of women in a Kabul university in support of the Taliban.

Covered head-to-toe in black, some 300 women attended a lecture at Shaheed Rabbani Education University and took out a rally in support of the hardline Islamist group on September 11. Pictures from both events were widely circulated on social media.

One such picture of women, covered in veils and sitting in a lecture theatre adorned with Taliban flags, is doing the rounds. However, it appears that one of them is a man disguised as a woman in burqa. Netizens claim that the Taliban brought men in burqas to show that women are supporting them.

India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the viral picture to be morphed. The man’s face has been superimposed on a burqa-clad woman in the picture.

Dubai-based journalist Shabnam Bayani tweeted the picture and wrote, “what are Taliban trying to proof by bringing men with women’s Burqa to announce their support? I was wondering what the hell is wrong with these women? Now I saw Only a few of them are women the rest is all men wearing Burqa.”

Some other Facebook and Twitter users also shared the picture with similar claims.

AFWA INVESTIGATION

Using reverse search, we found the original picture in some news reports. Afghan news agency “The Khaama Press” used the picture in a report on the pro-Taliban gathering.

The picture can also be seen in a report by IRNA, the official news agency of Iran.

The picture was also tweeted by “Tolo News” head Lotfullah Najafizada on September 11.

Pro-Taliban women gathering in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/G9GYNpzjNl — Lotfullah Najafizada (@LNajafizada) September 11, 2021

As per reports, the Taliban has said that “this time, women will be allowed to attend university as long as classes are segregated by sex or at least divided by a curtain”.

The last Taliban rule in the late 90s was marked by blatant violation of women’s rights.

READ | Fact Check: Out of context video from feature film viral as Taliban detaining Afghan citizens

ALSO READ | Fact Check: This 'river of blood' is not linked to the Kabul terror attack

WATCH | Fact Check Video: Video of mock ISIS sex slave market viral as Afghan women on sale