Taliban Burns Hundreds of Musical Instruments in Parwan and Laghman Provinces

The Taliban’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice departments in Parwan and Laghman provinces have collected and burned hundreds of musical instruments. Officials from this department in Parwan stated that nearly 500 instruments were destroyed after being gathered. In Laghman, around 100 instruments met a similar fate.

The Promotion of Virtue office in Parwan announced that these instruments included harmoniums, daf, tabla, and daikis. According to the agency, these items were collected from various areas within the province. No details have been provided regarding how these instruments were confiscated or the fate of their owners.

The Taliban administration considers music forbidden and has imposed extensive restrictions on artistic activities over the past three years. On multiple occasions, officials from this department have raided social gatherings and arrested artists—actions that have raised serious concerns about cultural freedoms and artists’ rights to work in the country.

The continued burning of musical instruments occurs at a time when music is an integral part of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage and social traditions. This ongoing policy effectively limits the scope of artistic activities, leaving many artists unemployed and forcing some into exile.