Taliban ban TV shows featuring women actors as a part of 'religious guideline'
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In a directive issued by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice to Afghan media, the Taliban also called on women television journalists to wear Islamic hijabs
In a new "religious guideline", Afghanistan's Taliban asked the country's television channels to stop showing dramas and soap operas that feature woman actors. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August, they ensured that this time it will be different from the older times. The group assured that women will have more freedom and their rights will be safe. However, their actions have been showing the complete opposite of what they said.
In a directive issued by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice to Afghan media, the Taliban also called on women television journalists to wear Islamic hijabs. The ministry further asked the channels to not air films or programmes in which the Prophet Mohammed or other revered figures are shown.
The newly issued guideline comes at a time when dozens of television channels and radio stations have been set up using Western assistance and private investment.
''These are not rules but a religious guideline'," ministry spokesman Hakif Mohajir told AFP.
This is not the only rule that restricts the basic rights of women. Taliban has already introduced rules for what women can wear at university.
Earlier during their reign, the Taliban would catch people watching television and punish them, including having their set smashed. Ownership of a video player could lead to massive public lashing. Also, there was only one radio station named Voice of Sharia, that broadcast propaganda and Islamic programming.
Meanwhile, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai said that she was concerned that the Taliban's block on girls' education will not be temporary, as claimed.
Yousafzai has been shot by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012 for campaigning for girls' education.
Speaking at BBC's Andrew Marr Show that "I'm afraid that this ban that they have announced right now that they're calling temporary might not actually be temporary."
(With inputs from agencies)