Taliban Ban Afghan Political Parties, Citing Sharia Violations

The move comes a day after the de facto Afghan leaders marked the second anniversary of returning to power in Kabul.

Abdul Hakim Sharaee, the Taliban minister of justice, announced the ban at a news conference in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

"There is no Sharia basis for political parties to operate in the country. They do not serve the national interest, nor does the nation appreciate them," the minister said without elaborating.

More than 70 major and small political parties were formally registered with the Ministry of Justice until two years ago, when the then-insurgent Taliban reclaimed control of war-ravaged Afghanistan.

The Taliban have since been persistently accused of curbing freedom of association, assembly and expression to suppress critics, allowing only supporters to undertake such activities.

They have since imposed their strict interpretation of Islamic law to govern the impoverished South Asian nation, banning girls from attending schools beyond the sixth grade and barring most Afghan women from work and public life.

Afghan media is also under attack by the new rulers, forcing scores of news channels and outlets to close and hundreds of journalists to leave the country.

The United Nations and other global monitors have consistently decried worsening human rights conditions in Afghanistan and demanded that the Taliban reverse their restrictions on women and civil liberty.

The Taliban seized power on Aug. 15, 2021, as the United States and NATO withdrew all their troops after 20 years of involvement in the Afghan war.

The insurgent takeover prompted prominent Afghan political party leaders and politicians to flee the country, fearing retribution for their association with the U.S.-backed former government.

Many self-exiled Afghan political leaders have since opposed the new rulers in Kabul and called for armed resistance to dislodge them, but they have not received international backing for their campaign.

Foreign countries have refused to recognize the Taliban as the country's legitimate rulers for their treatment of Afghan women and for not involving other ethnic and political groups in running the country.

Torek Farhadi, an Afghan political commentator, said the Taliban follow the example of Gulf countries without political parties.

"What is needed is the participation of women and people from all walks of life to participate in a conversation about the country's future," Farhadi said.

"As much as it can sound politically incorrect, political parties can create unnecessary divisions in Afghanistan today, and that is the last thing the country needs."

The U.N. says years of war and prolonged drought have worsened the humanitarian crisis in the country, where two-thirds of the population need aid. (VOA/NJ)