The Taliban’s vice and virtue department in Herat province in the west of the country on Sunday conducted a controversial act of burning musical instruments.
According to the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency, Azizul Rahman Mohajir, the head of the Taliban’s vice and virtue office in Herat, reported that their members collected musical instruments from the city and districts of Herat and proceeded to set them on fire.
In a stern warning to the public, Mohajir declared that the buying and selling of musical instruments are strictly “forbidden,” and those who defy this edict will face punishment. The Taliban official portrayed the promotion of music as a form of corruption and playing music as a catalyst for misguiding the youth and undermining societal values.
This incident marks a continuation of the Taliban’s strict stance on music within the country. For nearly two years, the group has prohibited the broadcasting of music in the media and imposed numerous restrictions on musical expression.
