Domestic tourists visiting the picturesque province of Bamiyan in Afghanistan have raised concerns about the Taliban’s request for their marriage certificates.
Tourists, who have traveled from various provinces in the country, said the Taliban has been asking for their marriage certificates in different areas of Bamiyan, including the popular tourist destination of Band-e-Amir.
Adela, an alias, who recently visited Bamiyan with her husband, shared her experience of the Taliban repeatedly asking them for their marriage certificate during their visit to the tourist attractions.
Adela got married one year ago and was surprised by the request, as it had not been a requirement during previous visits.
“While we were visiting the Band-e-Amir, the Taliban stopped us and asked what relations we have, when we told them that we are wife and husband, they did not believe us and took my husband out of the car,” said Adela.
The imposition of such restrictions by the Taliban on domestic tourists has raised concerns among visitors and locals alike. There are worries that these limitations may discourage tourists from choosing Bamiyan as their destination of choice in the future.
“The amr bil-Maroof [staff of the Taliban] imposed restrictions [on people] as they ask for marriage certificates during people’s visit to Band-e-Amir and other sites and they seriously check marriage certificates that make people worry,” said Sara, a visitor.
Bamiyan’s tourism season typically sees an increase in activity as the weather warms up, but the additional restrictions may impact the number of tourists visiting the region.
Bamiyan is known for its numerous tourist attractions, attracting both domestic and foreign visitors each year.
However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of tourists, both domestic and foreign.
