Taliban morality enforcers ordered several operators of foosball tables in public parks and residential areas to cease their activities, sources said Wednesday, adding that those who resisted were allegedly threatened and subjected to flogging.
The enforcement officers had previously warned the operators to destroy the molded heads on the table players — claiming that their presence disrupted the “balance of the game.” Despite the warning, when owners attempted to continue their business, they were “beaten by the enforcers”, sources said.
“There were threats followed by physical punishment,” one source said, describing a second confrontation in which the operators were physically assaulted. There has been no comment from the Taliban authorities regarding the incidents.
The reported prohibition is part of the Taliban’s broader campaign to regulate recreational activities, particularly those viewed as promoting “un-Islamic” practices. Foosball tables, common in Kabul’s communal spaces, appear to have fallen foul of the Taliban’s effort to control public morality.
Critics argue this move is yet another example of the Taliban’s increasingly restrictive oversight of daily life in Afghanistan — from dress codes and leisure activities to digital and print media. As enforcement extends deeper into social realms, many Afghans fear that simple enjoyments are now subject to ideological scrutiny.
