Afghanistan’s Taliban government has seized and burned dozens of musical instruments.
According to the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the instruments—confiscated from local markets in the Maidan Wardak province in recent weeks—were set on fire along with several hookahs.
In an official statement, the ministry reported that a total of 160 items were destroyed in accordance with Sharia directives. These included dholaks, tablas, rubabs, a piano, MP3 players, tape recorders, and 15 hookahs.
The Taliban said the items were being used to promote music and other “un-Islamic activities.”
Their confiscation and destruction, officials stated, are part of the group’s policy to enforce strict restrictions on cultural and social activities.
It is worth noting that since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, music has been virtually eliminated from public spaces, and strict bans on music remain in place even at social events such as weddings.
