Taliban leaders are from rural backgrounds where the tribal Pashtunwali culture is prevalent. Simply put, it is the tribal way of life where tradition, the place of women and the code of society is laid out. It is one of the family loyalties, feuds between families passed over from generation to generation, hospitality, revenge, and gun culture are also woven into the tribal ethos. Women’s place is at home, and deviation from that is not approved of, especially in rural areas. So it is not surprising that the conservative clerics who are now in control find it difficult to adjust to urban concepts of individual choice and liberty. But it is time the Taliban makes up its mind on what it stands for if it wants foreign funds to sustain the economy.