Taliban officials make a bonfire of musical instruments because music 'destroys society'

In a not-so-unexpected move, the religious police in Afghanistan burned down dozens of musical instruments, claiming that music could "corrupt" people.

The incident took place in the Herat province of the state and came to light after videos went viral on social media platforms such as Twitter. The videos show a bonfire of musical instruments burning as the members of the group watch on.

They did not stop at setting the instruments on fire. The Taliban officials released images of the bonfire online without revealing its location. According to local media reports, the instruments were collected from various places across the country. These included a guitar, a tabla, a harmonium, speakers, and amplifiers.

Afghanistan's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has also warned people against selling musical instruments, adding that it is considered "haram" and anyone found trading would be met with punishment.

A representative of the ministry even said that music leads to "misguidance of the youth and the destruction of society." A statement published by the ministry in Urdu revealed that its officials even confiscated "dozens of flash drives and memory cards filled with music."

Afghanistan in the 90s:

No one expected the Taliban to do any better than the 90s when it came to respecting human rights. However people did not expect that the group won't change its ways at all.

The complete annihilation of a humane society which began in August 2021 in Afghanistan is gradually reaching its tipping point. The group had promised a moderate approach this time, but the situation on the ground says otherwise.

The group is again doing what it used to do in the 90s, ruling Afghanistan with an iron fist with zero consideration for human rights. The tyrannical Taliban government has been passing diktat after diktat restricting women's movement, lifestyle, and rights. Women are slowly being erased from public places.

A UN report on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan revealed that women continue to face "restrictions in their movement, attire, employment options, and ability to seek public office or perform the public role."

The Taliban has banned girls from attending senior secondary and higher secondary schools. Women have also been prohibited from attending classes in universities. The regime has also banned women from working in government and private offices.

The Afghan authorities have banned visiting parks, gyms, and public baths. They have also reportedly banned the sale of contraceptives in Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif. This step could lead to an increase in maternal mortality rates and unwanted pregnancies.

The country is in the middle of the world's largest humanitarian crisis; instead of taking steps to take the country forward, the Taliban are focusing on ensuring that a common person in Afghanistan does not get space to even breathe without having to worry about the consequences of doing so.

The government has again started amputating, lashing, and executing people for petty crimes such as theft and robbery.

During their rule in Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, the group would often execute, shoot, amputate, and flog people publicly for crimes of murder, robbery, and prostitution. Sometimes the bodies of people would be put on display. The Kandahar stadium has witnessed many of these heinous punishments.

Last year, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) revealed that 2,106 civilian casualties - 700 killed, 1,406 wounded- have been recorded in Afghanistan since Taliban takeover.

The Taliban government has been treating Afghan citizens with immense cruelty. It has imposed restrictions on their movement, the way they dress, and the way they live and pray. The situation has only deteriorated in the last two years but no one seems to be able to do anything.