From my actual experience, the vast majority of Afghans want exactly what we want: to live and to work to support their families and to come home each day and live their life. Absolutely ZERO of the Afghan women or children (ie: the majority of the population of Afghanistan) I met, helped and worked with ever wanted to live under Taliban rule and I am extremely doubtful they wish to do so again; it's deadly for them. Nor did the Afghan men I met and worked with want to either.
Is your work colleague a male perchance? Interesting also to note that Pakistan harboured the Taliban, but it's not like the Taliban imposed sharia law there and were executing Pakistani womenfolk for working, being out, being burqha-less or executing Pakistani citizens of any sex /age for playing outside, for laughing, for playing music etc etc or for not practicing the Taliban version of ultra-politics and religion, or torture techniques.
I guess when one isn't themselves subjugated to actually living under Taliban rule it's easy to write-off those who fear such, and who've actually had to live it, as "meh".
