Kabul, Aug 15 (IANS): Pictures on Twitter show the image of a man covering up pictures of women painted on a wall in Kabul.

Young women in the city have been asking for help in recent days as the Taliban advanced towards Kabul, the BBC reported.

Prior to 2002 when the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, the militants practiced a version of Sharia law which included stoning for adultery, amputation of limbs for theft, and preventing girls from going to school beyond the age of 12.

A Taliban official has just been quoted as saying that the decision on whether to impose punishments like this would be "up to the courts".

Reports from areas the Taliban have captured in recent days indicate that women are already not being allowed out of their homes without a male companion and that some female employees were told their jobs would now be carried out by men. Women in these areas are also being told to wear burkas.

Earlier, a report said a Taliban spokesman has vowed that the militants will respect the rights of women, and the press, as it prepares for a transition of power from Afghanistan's civilian government.

Sunday's statements by the Taliban appear to be aimed at quelling global concern.

The spokesman said that women would be allowed to leave their houses alone and would continue to have access to education and work.

But this is at odds with reports emerging from other parts of the country which have fallen into Taliban control. In Kandahar, women working in a bank were told their jobs would now be carried out by a male relative; in other regions, there have been reports of women not being allowed out alone and being forced to wear the burka.

The spokesman added that the media would be allowed to freely criticise but not indulge in "character assassination".