Former Afghan Official Tahir Zohair Criticizes Taliban for Deepening Ethnic Divisions

Tahir Zohair, former Minister of Information and Culture and ex-governor of Bamyan, told Afghanistan International in an exclusive interview that the Taliban administration has excessively intensified ethnic tensions in the country. By closing schools, it has restricted education and scientific progress, especially among different ethnic groups.

According to him, the continued closure of schools not only clouds the future of the younger generation but also fuels distrust and divides among ethnic communities. Zohair emphasized that many non-Pashtun commanders who aligned themselves with the Taliban following their return in 2021 now regret their decision.

The former Bamyan governor also described the state of media as worrying, noting that under current conditions, free media cannot function properly in Afghanistan, and citizens are unable to express their voices freely. He added that if the environment allowed, opposition to the Taliban administration’s actions would become openly visible.

After the collapse of the republic in August 2021, Zohair, along with some armed forces under his command in the Balkhab district of Sar-e-Pul province, took up arms against the Taliban alongside commander Mahdi Mujahid; however, he surrendered three months later. He remained in Kabul until 2025 and has recently migrated to Germany.

The former official warned that the Taliban administration seeks to isolate Afghanistan and avoid engagement with the world. Continuing on this path, he cautioned, could lead the country toward a “very catastrophic” future. He believes the current structure and mindset of the Taliban lack the resilience for long-term survival and that the group will “eventually fail.”