Taliban Minister Describes Regime as ‘Divine,’ Urges Unity to Strengthen It
Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban’s Minister of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, described the group’s regime as “divine” during a meeting with tribal elders, border delegates, and university professors. He called on citizens to unite to strengthen the administration and emphasized the importance of public cooperation in implementing its directives.
Afghanistan’s national television, which operates under Taliban control, broadcast a portion of his speech on Wednesday. In his remarks, Hanafi harshly criticized previous governments, stating that power was not loyal to past rulers and that despite extensive foreign support, former regimes ultimately collapsed.
Referring to various political periods in Afghanistan, he claimed that the “Khalqis and Parchamis” were backed by the Soviet Union, and during the republic era, “the whole world” supported the then-government. However, he argued these regimes did not last because they lacked what he called “Islamic thought and ideology.”
The Taliban’s Minister of Promotion of Virtue urged scholars, group members, professors, school teachers, and all citizens to unite in implementing what he termed the “Islamic system” and to prevent opponents from creating divisions between the people and the Taliban administration.
These remarks come amid over four years of the Taliban imposing extensive restrictions on various segments of society, especially women and girls. These measures have drawn domestic and international concern and criticism, turning the gap between the people and the ruling structure into a significant topic of discussion within Afghan society.
