Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing criticism after he wrote a media column slamming the Taliban* while comparing their regime's restrictions on women to the empowerment of the opposite sex in the UK, citing the example of England's female footballers who lost the FIFA World Cup final against Spain on Sunday.
In the column penned before the final in Sydney during the weekend, the ex-UK premier mentioned: "If I could, I would strap [The Taliban] into their chairs on Sunday and make them watch until they understood the excitement that goes with a great sporting competition, in which none of the participants gives a monkey's if they show off a lot of their arms or their legs — and in which some even bare their bras in triumph after scoring a goal.
"Above all, I would force the quivering men of this all-male government to accept the key point: that the skill and courage of the Lionesses are admired by everyone — by women, by men, by the entire family, by every member of the human race," Johnson added.
However, Johnson's remarks irked the netizens, including some media commentators who reminded him of Britain's withdrawal from Afghanistan after the Taliban captured Kabul two years ago.
Status of Women's Rights in Afghanistan
Since then, the hardline Islamic movement has levied a string of embargoes on women in the impoverished South Asian sovereign state.
Among the restrictions is a complete ban on their employment and education, except primary school. Besides, females are barred from going to gyms, public parks, restaurants, and hotels.
Against this backdrop, Ian Dunt, a media professional and podcaster having more than 400K followers on X (Twitter), blasted Johnson for his move to pull out British troops from Afghanistan as Britain's Prime Minister at the time.
"This man's feckless ineptitude left women at the mercy of the Taliban during the withdrawal. And then, at the final moment, he finally intervened so that we could save dogs instead," Dunt said on the highly influential messaging app.
On the other hand, another social media user asked: "What was Boris Johnson paid to write his column for the Mail expressing sadness, but no sense of personal responsibility, for dumping Afghan women under the wheels of an oppressive misogynistic regime while he was PM?"
"This low-life, amoral, endlessly self-promoting waste of space who sadly became PM abandoned the men & women of Afghanistan to the Taliban," a third summed up.
*The Taliban is under UN sanctions over extremism.