Taliban Authorities Monitor 250 Advertising Boards in Karte-Now, Kabul
The Department of Information and Culture under the Taliban has announced that its Commission for the Reform of Boards and Advertising Signs has monitored 250 advertising boards installed in the Karte-Now area of District 8 in Kabul city. According to the department, the purpose of these inspections is to ensure compliance with the prescribed guidelines regarding the content of the boards.
In a press release sent to the media, Qari Wali Gul Jawad, Head of Cultural Affairs at Kabul Municipality, emphasized that commercial boards and advertisements must be prepared according to “the values of Islamic Sharia, Afghan culture, and national languages.” This comes amid the Taliban administration imposing extensive restrictions on cultural and media activities in recent years and expanding its supervision across various sectors.
The statement noted that the majority of the inspected boards complied with the commission’s regulations; however, owners of boards found to have “deficiencies” received recommendations for corrections. No specific details were provided about the types of these deficiencies.
Additionally, owners of boards written in foreign languages were advised to include equivalent terms in national languages. Previously, the Taliban administration had stressed the widespread use of national languages on city boards.
It was also reported that 125 other boards in the same area were inspected last week. The continuation of this process indicates that the Taliban authorities are persistently monitoring urban spaces and advertising content—an action viewed by some experts as part of the administration’s controlling policies over cultural and social spheres.
