A prominent female politician in Afghanistan narrowly escaped a suicide attack on Sunday, walking away from the crumbled wreck of her vehicle after a powerful blast.



Shukria Barakzai, an outspoken parliamentarian and women’s rights activist, emerged from the attack with minor injuries and was taken to a hospital. Three civilians were killed and 20 others wounded, according to Hashmat Stanikzai, the spokesman for Kabul’s police chief.

As Barakzai was driving to work at 10:15 on Sunday morning, a car rammed into her armoured sport-utility vehicle. The assailant, wearing a suicide vest, detonated his explosives. Barakzai’s driver was wounded and also hospitalised. Initial rumours of her daughter being killed in the blast proved to be untrue. Soon after the blast, a video of Barakzai emerging out of her damaged vehicle seemingly unhurt circulated on social media. The Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid denied responsibility for the attack.

Barakzai, 42, is a close ally of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who condemned the attack. She is among the many prominent Afghan politicians hoping to get a cabinet position under the new administration. Since Ghani’s inauguration in September, there had been suggestions she may be tapped to join his government as the new education or women’s minister.

In the past 10 years in which she served as a member of parliament, Barakzai has become one of the country’s most renowned women’s rights advocates. In the past, she had spoken publicly about being flogged by the religious police under the Taliban regime, and how this experience galvanised her resolve to become involved in advancing women’s rights. She has spoken about running an underground school for girls during these years, and has continued her activism after the Nato intervention, becoming recognised internationally for her efforts.

Today’s bombing comes as concerns mount about the fate of Afghan women after the Nato troop withdrawal. There are worries that the gains made in women’s rights will be rolled back after western donors, leave Afghanistan.

Already, the signs of changing tides are apparent. When the US-led coalition forces came to Afghanistan and built a western-style democracy, they installed legal safeguards for women, such as a quota for women in public offices such as the parliament or provincial councils. Earlier this year, conservative lawmakers rolled back that quota for seats reserved for women to 20 per cent, down from 25 per cent.