The Taliban directorate of vice and virtue in Kandahar has sent official orders to government employees ordering them to wear a turban and grow a long beard, in accordance with what they call the principles of Islamic sharia. The Taliban warns that those who do not adhere to its commands will face punishment, including losing their jobs. Zan Times has seen a copy of the letter, dated November 19.
“All government employees are informed that they must adhere to Islamic principles and attend their duties with long beards, none of the government employees should shave their beards. In case of violation, they will be introduced to court, and they will be fired,” the letter explained.
“These orders were previously communicated to us orally, it was not strictly enforced,” a municipal employee tells Zan Times. “But now with the official warning letters, we have to follow to save our jobs.”
The clothing restrictions for men in Kandahar echo those being imposed on women, who now must follow increasingly strict Taliban dress codes if they want to attend university. The focus on clothes and appearances extends beyond just what people can wear. Recently, the Taliban in Daikundi have forbidden women tailors from even handling men’s clothing, apparently because “it is a sin,” a businesswoman told Zan Times. That rule came after a previous edict from the Taliban’s Directorate for Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice that female workers were not to interact with male customers or employers.
