As US troops begin
their journey back home from Afghanistan after a two-decades-long war, the
Taliban are overrunning Afghan military outposts and capturing large swathes of
territory. The civilian government looks helpless as the Taliban claim to
capture over 80% territory in the war-ravaged country.

Also Read | Clubhouse in a conflict zone: Afghans confront Taliban on audio app

The Taliban’s
increasing hold over Afghanistan foreshadows a return to the hyper-conservative
and restrictive era when they ruled the country with an iron fist in accordance
with Sharia law.

A few days after Taliban
took control of a small village in northern Afghanistan, a letter, seemingly
issued by an Imam, started doing the rounds. “It said women can’t go to the
bazaar without a male companion and men should not shave their beards,” said a
25-year-old resident of Kalafgan district to AFP.

Also Read | Taliban extends three-month ceasefire in offer in exchange for prisoners

On the brink of
the Taliban’s capture of Afghanistan, we look back five nominal civil liberties
that were unavailable to the Afghans when the Taliban ruled:

Women’s
freedoms, civil liberties

While in power in
Afghanistan in the 1990s, the Taliban’s rights record was characterised by a
systemic violation against women and girls. Women were not allowed to go out
without being accompanied by a male companion.

Also Read | Taliban claim control of key border crossing with Pakistan

Music and
television

In strict
adherence to Sharia law, the Taliban imposed a comprehensive ban on music and
television on grounds that they were un-Islamic. Playing of musical instruments
was banned during Taliban rule.   

The Internet

The Taliban did
not allow Afghans or even foreigners residing in Afghanistan access to the
internet. While imposing the ban, the Taliban government had said that it was
doing so to stop access to ‘vulgar, immoral and anti-Islamic literature’.

Also Read | Taliban extends three months ceasefire in offer in exchange for prisoners

Flying kites

Taliban
authorities thought of flying kites as an unproductive distraction and outlawed
kite flying in the country. People would get beaten up if they were found
flying kites or even keeping birds.

Labour Day

The Taliban came
into in Afghanistan in the backdrop of the Soviet-Afghan war. When they took
over the country, they banned the celebration of Labour Day as they regarded it
as a ‘communist’ holiday.