From Cultural Diversity To Tyranny: Afghanistan Under The Taliban – OpEd

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Afghanistan, once known for its rich cultural diversity and resilient traditions, now finds itself in the grip of the Taliban’s self-serving, ideologically rigid rule.

The Taliban’s leadership, claiming divine legitimacy, portrays itself as a force for Islamic purity, yet its policies and practices stand in stark contradiction to the very principles it claims to uphold. What has emerged from this rule is not just the silencing of voices, but the obliteration of human rights, especially for women and children.

The Taliban insists it governs by divine mandate, invoking Islam as the cornerstone of its legitimacy. However, its actions—banning girls’ education, forbidding women from working, publicly executing those who oppose it—defy the core values of Islam. Justice, compassion, and the pursuit of knowledge are deeply embedded in the teachings of Islam, but the Taliban’s policies subvert these values. From its origins as a fundamentalist movement to its reign in Kabul, the Taliban has used religion not to guide the country toward peace, but to cement its authoritarian rule.

Afghan scholars and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have called out these practices, but the Taliban persists, choosing power over the protection of human dignity. To the global Muslim community, the Taliban’s brand of governance is a betrayal, and millions are calling for Afghanistan’s reclaiming of its true identity—a just society where religion is a guiding force for peace and not for oppression.

This, however, is not simply an ideological struggle. The reality on the ground is grim. Afghans are living in fear and deprivation, their basic rights stripped away. With the Taliban’s intransigence on human rights, the international community has been alienated, making it difficult for vital aid to reach the Afghan people. This compounded suffering is the direct result of the Taliban’s refusal to listen to global appeals for change, and its inability to govern in a way that respects the rights of all citizens.

Historically, Afghanistan has been a land shaped by the values of its people—riwaj (customary law) and tribal traditions, not religious extremism. The Taliban’s rise to power, though often framed as a homegrown movement, was shaped by secret deals with international powers, particularly the United States. This betrayal of Afghanistan’s path to progress was cemented through a convenient alliance with Pakistan, which played a key role in the Taliban’s survival during the Soviet invasion. Far from being a “graveyard of empires,” as the myth goes, Afghanistan’s history of resistance was often powered by external actors, including Pakistan, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia. The British Empire and the USSR did not collapse solely because of Afghan resistance, but because of broader geopolitical forces.

Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan cannot be overlooked. While often criticized for its own internal challenges, Pakistan has long been a host for Afghan refugees, providing vital support throughout the decades of conflict. This solidarity, forged through shared language, faith, and history, has made Pakistan Afghanistan’s most reliable regional ally. Despite the Taliban’s rhetoric accusing Pakistan of meddling, the reality is that Pakistan’s long-standing support for Afghanistan’s people and its stability should be seen as an essential pillar for any future peace.

It is important to acknowledge that the Taliban’s policies are not just a domestic issue—they are a regional and global concern. The regime’s ties with global terrorist groups, violations of its Doha Agreement pledges, and its support for extremist ideology jeopardize both regional and global peace. Afghanistan risks becoming a hotbed for terrorism once again, posing a threat not only to the Afghan people but to the broader world. The IAG’s theological policies are accelerating radicalization, and the fallout from this will have lasting consequences, not just for Afghanistan but for its neighbors as well.

The situation in Afghanistan is not simply one of political struggle, but one of human rights and future prospects for millions of Afghans. The Taliban’s continued rule ensures that Afghanistan’s once inclusive culture is replaced by a regime that denies individual freedoms and drives the nation deeper into isolation. And while the Taliban claims to fight corruption, widespread aid mismanagement continues, with funds diverted to support a privileged elite while ordinary Afghans endure crushing hardship.

In these dark times, it is crucial to remind the world that Afghanistan is not defined by the Taliban alone. The Afghan people, with their rich cultural heritage and deep sense of identity, deserve the world’s support in reclaiming their rights and their future. This is not about politics—it’s about ensuring that millions of lives are not lost to an oppressive regime that distorts the very faith it claims to protect.

For Afghanistan’s future to be bright, the Taliban must be held accountable—not just for its human rights abuses, but for its refusal to represent the true aspirations of the Afghan people. The world must support Afghanistan in its struggle to recover its identity, its culture, and its humanity. Only then can Afghanistan move beyond the Taliban’s grim vision and find its way back to the path of peace, progress, and justice.

Haris Gul

Haris Gul is a student of BS International Relations at University of AJK.

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