Afghanistan

Taliban crack down on shops open during prayer times in Panjshir, sources say

Local sources in Panjshir Province report that Taliban have been sealing shops that remain open during prayer times, particularly in the Anaba market.

Shopkeepers who fail to close their businesses or join communal prayers are also reportedly being detained, sources reported.

According to these sources, the Taliban’s morality police, known as PVPV enforcers, conduct inspections during the afternoon and evening prayers. Shops found open are sealed, and their owners are sometimes imprisoned.

“The Taliban’s morality police seal the shops of those who fail to close during afternoon and evening prayers, and they detain the shopkeepers who don’t join the prayers,” a source said.

On Monday, January 29, the Taliban reportedly sealed a barber shop in the Anaba market for trimming a customer’s beard.

The Taliban’s strict enforcement of their morality law requires men to maintain beards at least fist-length and mandates attendance at all five daily prayers in congregation. Senior Taliban officials, including their supreme leader, have emphasized full adherence to these laws.

Critics, including human rights advocates and Afghan citizens, argue that these measures severely restrict personal freedoms and subject individuals to harassment, imprisonment, and humiliation by Taliban enforcers.

“This law not only infringes on individual liberties but also creates an atmosphere of fear and repression,” said a human rights activist.

The Taliban’s policies, which have drawn widespread criticism domestically and internationally, continue to tighten restrictions on public life, leaving little room for dissent or personal choice.