ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban have intensified restrictions on public life and independent media, banning music in a major tourist province and shutting down several local radio stations in moves critics say reflect a widening crackdown on freedoms across Afghanistan.
Authorities in Nuristan province announced new Eid al-Adha measures prohibiting music for both residents and tourists, according to statements carried by London-based Afghanistan International.
Under the restrictions, bringing musical instruments into the province has been banned, with officials warning that any instruments discovered at entry points would be confiscated and destroyed.
The Taliban police command in Nuristan said the measures were aimed at maintaining “order and public security” during the holiday period.
The group has long opposed music and, since returning to power in 2021, has steadily removed it from public life, banning broadcasts on television and radio and restricting performances in markets, public gatherings and celebrations.
Many Afghan musicians have since abandoned their profession or fled the country.
The latest directives also ban celebratory gunfire and unauthorized weapons, while tourists have been instructed to hold recreational gatherings only in designated areas. Taliban members travelling through the province were additionally told to keep personal weapons inside vehicles.
The restrictions come despite Nuristan emerging in recent years as one of Afghanistan’s most visited domestic tourist destinations during Eid holidays, drawing thousands seeking cooler weather and mountain scenery.
In a separate development, Afghan media watchdogs accused the Taliban of using bureaucratic measures to silence independent media outlets after authorities shut down three local radio stations in Kandahar province.
Local sources told Afghanistan International that Taliban intelligence personnel and officials from the Ministry of Information and Culture closed the stations “Tahsin-al-Quran,” “Sanga,” and “Zama Zeewar.”
Taliban officials claimed the outlets lacked proper licences, had unpaid taxes and aired what they described as “non-standard” programming.
However, the Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO) rejected those claims, saying the renewal of licences and administrative procedures had been delayed by Taliban authorities themselves.
“Silencing media outlets because of administrative delays is unreasonable and unjust,” the organisation said.
One station manager also disputed the allegations, telling the Afghanistan Journalists Center that claims regarding tax violations and broadcasting standards were “false” and merely a pretext to suppress independent media.
AMSO warned that the closures further weaken Afghanistan’s already shrinking media landscape and threaten the livelihoods of journalists amid worsening economic conditions.
“Closing media outlets amid the country’s severe economic difficulties not only deprives citizens of access to information but also exposes many journalists and media workers to unemployment,” the organisation said.
According to media advocates, at least four local media outlets have been suspended by Taliban authorities within the past week alone, including a radio station previously shut down in Bamiyan province over licensing issues.
The latest actions add to growing international concern over freedom of expression and civil liberties in Afghanistan, where rights groups say the Taliban have increasingly relied on morality regulations, censorship and administrative pressure to tighten control over public and cultural life.
