Afghanistan, May 19 -- Abdul Bari Jahani, a former Afghanistan information minister and prominent Pashto poet, criticized religious clerics, saying they have played a major role in decline and divisions across Islamic societies.
Speaking in an interview with Sufi Podcast, Jahani said history, religion and Islamic texts themselves show that clerics have often contributed to conflict and social stagnation.
He also linked Afghanistan's current crisis to the influence of religious leaders, saying the country's longstanding problems were largely connected to their role in politics and society.
Afghanistan continues facing severe economic and humanitarian challenges, with millions of people dependent on international aid amid widespread unempl...