The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has barred professors and students at all public and private universities from attending classes wearing Western-style clothing, local sources told Amu.
According to the directive, men are no longer allowed to wear dress shirts, trousers, or suits, referred to locally as Western-style clothing.
The order also requires hair and beards to conform to Taliban standards. Violators will first receive a warning, but repeat offenses will result in “legal action,” the sources said.
The measure is the latest restriction imposed on educational institutions since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Taliban have already enforced gender segregation, mandated conservative dress codes, and barred girls above the sixth grade from schooling.
Analysts say the new rules further limit personal freedoms for students and professors and undermine academic life. The Taliban, however, defend the policy as part of what they call the implementation of “Islamic values.”
In recent months, many professors and students — including at Kabul University — have begun adopting traditional dress such as perahan tunban and caps, along with growing beards, in compliance with the Taliban’s directives.
