Kabul residents celebrate new solar year with flag-raising

KABUL (TOLOnews): Kabul residents celebrated the start of the new solar year 1402 on Tuesday with a traditional flag-raising ceremony in the Shuhada-e-Saliheen area of the capital.
At the ceremony, they urged the Islamic Emirate to provide equal rights to men and women and to offer work opportunities to residents in the new year.
“The flag-raising ceremony is being held every year as usual in Mazar-e-Sharif of Balk province and in Kart-e-Sakhi of Kabul,” said Ahmad Fahim, a resident of Kabul.
“We hope to have a year full of peace, serenity, intimacy and a good new year,” said Abdul Manan, another resident of Kabul.
Some in Kabul celebrated the first day of the new year by going to entertainment venues, visiting friends, and praying for a year full of happiness and progress.
“We hope that this year will be a happy year and that the economic situation of the people will improve and that schools will be opened for girls,” Aryan, a resident of Kabul told TOLOnews.
Only men and boys were present in the parks and entertainment areas, according to Fahim, a father who celebrated Nowruz by bringing his three children to one of Kabul’s amusement parks.
“There is a big difference, in the past years, there weren’t such bans. The only good thing about this year is that the security is ensured,” Fahim, a resident of Kabul told TOLOnews.
The Islamic Emirate cancelled the Nowruz holiday and forbade the celebration of the first day of the solar year.
Despite restrictions, residents in the capital and the provinces celebrated Nowruz last year with more enthusiasm.