Taliban to stop women from visiting Afghan national park

BAMYAN (Khaama Press): The Taliban has banned women from visiting Band-e-Amir National Park in Afghanistan’s central Bamyan province.

During a speech in Bamyan, Taliban Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, said that they are developing a procedure for women to visit the park eventually. However, women’s park entry remains restricted until the procedure is established.

Hanafi urged Bamyan province elders and Taliban security forces to collaborate in enforcing the park entry ban for women. He also criticized people’s non-compliance with Taliban orders and women’s lack of adherence to hijab rules during his speech.

Upon reclaiming power in August 2021, the group reinstated a distressing prohibition: Girls’ attendance in secondary schools was banned. The grim trajectory continued in December 2022, with the scope of restrictions broadening to encompass women and girls, barring them from pursuing higher education at universities and banning them from working with non-governmental organizations and aid agencies.

Amid substantial international pressure and appeals from human rights groups, aid organizations, and Islamic nations, the Taliban persists in enforcing heightened constraints on women’s rights. Their prohibitions have escalated to include women’s access to amusement parks, independent travel without a male guardian, and even public baths.

Band-e-Amir National Park, featuring six captivating azure lakes set amidst the mountainous desert of central Afghanistan, was established in April 2009 to protect and showcase its remarkable natural allure. These lakes, formed by natural barriers in the towering Hindu Kush Mountains, draw numerous local and international tourists annually.