In a revealing glimpse into the Taliban's rule, five years after their return to power, the BBC reports on the daily lives of senior figures in Afghanistan. A pivotal moment unfolds when a young woman seeks divorce from her abusive husband in the office of Governor Abdullah Sarhadi. Despite resistance from the governor and his associates, the woman asserts her rights, challenging the Taliban's restrictive policies that have excluded women from education, work, and public life. The exchange serves as a stark reminder of the obstacles faced by Afghan women in their pursuit of justice under the Taliban regime. Governor Sarhadi, once a military commander during the Taliban's first rule, has since become a governor and deputy commander in Kunduz province, demonstrating the fluidity of power dynamics within the group. The governor's attitudes towards the woman's request for divorce are indicative of deeper societal issues, with women being viewed as intellectually deficient and their honor and dignity being questioned. The woman's father later reveals plans to pursue a court case for divorce, despite the Taliban's notoriously difficult court system that favors men. Other Taliban figures interviewed by the BBC, such as Habibullah Badr, have also transitioned from violent pasts to positions within the ruling administration. Badr, who previously organized suicide attacks in Kabul, now serves as a cautionary figure, reluctant to discuss his past due to fear of public backlash and reopening old wounds. The Taliban's policies regarding women, civil liberties, and their approach to cultural heritage remain consistent with their hard-line interpretation of Sharia law, raising questions about the group's commitment to change and reconciliation.