Taliban Increases Market Oversight Ahead of Eid al-Fitr
The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and Complaints has announced that as the blessed Eid al-Fitr approaches, its inspectors have intensified monitoring of markets and commercial centers across the country. According to the ministry, the aim of this initiative is to prevent price gouging, hoarding, and to ensure adherence to what it calls “Islamic rulings” in trade.
Mawlawi Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the ministry, stated that the inspectors are working to prevent possible exploitation of people’s needs in the days leading up to Eid. He urged traders and merchants to conduct their transactions with honesty and fairness while considering the ministry’s standards.
Based on the information provided, dozens of shops and commercial markets have been shut down during these inspections on charges of selling low-quality, expired, and overpriced goods. It was also reported that the owners of these shops have been referred to judicial and legal bodies for further investigation.
The increased authority and presence of the inspectors in commercial areas come amid previous concerns over the ministry’s monitoring methods and arbitrary enforcement. While some citizens have expressed support for price control measures, numerous economic activists have consistently called for greater transparency in inspection processes and prevention of illegal pressure on business owners.
The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice regards these measures as part of its responsibility to regulate the market and protect consumer rights, an institution which, following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, has acquired broad powers in social and economic sectors.
