Registered 18 Million SIM Cards In Afghanistan, Says Taliban
The Taliban-led Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has announced that 18 million mobile SIM cards have been registered across Afghanistan.
According to spokesperson Enayatullah Alokozay, the country has a total of 26 million SIM cards, with the registration process for the remaining ones still ongoing.
Bakhtar News Agency, controlled by the Taliban, reported on Saturday that the registration process is being overseen by the ministry. The Taliban had previously instructed all telecommunications companies to comply with SIM card registration procedures to regulate mobile services.
The previous Afghan government also attempted to register SIM cards to enhance security and prevent misuse by armed groups, particularly the Taliban. However, the initiative was largely unsuccessful.
Despite the ongoing registration drive, experts and citizens have raised concerns that the Taliban could use the process to monitor communications and infringe on privacy under the guise of security measures.
