Taliban Interior Minister Warns Against Misusing Power For Personal Interests

In a series of statements issued this week, the Taliban’s Supreme Court said that the punishments were handed down by various provincial courts and included prison sentences ranging from seven months to five years, in addition to public lashings.

In Kabul, the group’s primary court for counter-narcotics sentenced six individuals to between seven and nine months in prison and 10 lashes each for allegedly selling methamphetamine and heroin.

In Parwan province, six people including two women were convicted of extramarital relations and murder. They were each sentenced to prison terms of three to five years and received 39 lashes in public.

In Faryab’s Pashtun Kot district, a man and a woman were publicly flogged, also receiving 39 lashes and prison sentences of eight months to one year. The charges against them included running away from home and “illicit relations,” according to the court’s statement.

The Taliban Supreme Court did not provide information about the legal proceedings or whether the accused were granted access to legal representation or a fair trial.

Despite widespread international condemnation of corporal punishment and torture, the Taliban continue to enforce public floggings, which they claim are in accordance with Islamic Sharia law.

Speaking during his visit to China, Hanafi emphasised that the Taliban does not interfere in the internal matters of any country and does not allow “any individual or group” to use Afghan soil to threaten other nations.

“We expect the same reciprocity from other countries and urge them not to interfere in our governance,” he said, according to a statement released by the Taliban’s prime minister office on Friday.

Hanafi made the remarks while attending the 9th China-South Asia Expo, where he also expressed the Taliban administration’s interest in expanding cooperation with China and South Asian countries in areas such as mining, energy, transit, technology, and trade.

His comments come shortly after the Taliban unilaterally terminated what it described as its “largest” oil exploration and extraction contract with China. The deal, signed last year in the presence of Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar and the Chinese ambassador to Kabul, involved the Chinese company Afchin and the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

Last week, the ministry announced the termination of the contract, citing the company’s failure to meet its obligations.

Her husband, Sayed Mohsen Hashemi, told Afghanistan International that he has received no information about her whereabouts despite continuous efforts to locate her. “Zulala left home to visit friends and never returned. Her phone has been switched off, and all attempts to contact her have failed,” he said in a video message on Thursday, 19 June.

Zulala Hashemi gained national recognition after competing in the first round of Afghan Star, a popular singing competition formerly broadcast by TOLO TV. Her success on the show was seen as a significant achievement, especially for a female artist in a male-dominated space.

Hashemi said that his search for his wife has so far been fruitless, and he is beginning to lose hope. Zulala is the mother of a four-year-old son, whose health, the family says, has worsened since her disappearance.

Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the case.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Hekmatyar praised Syria’s stance following Israel’s attack on Iran, describing it as “wise and prudent.” He commended Syrian leadership, particularly Ahmad al-Sharaa, for firmly stating that Damascus would not permit its airspace or territory to be used against Iran.

Hekmatyar has previously warned that if Israel defeats Iran, it may expand its military campaign to other nations, including Pakistan, Türkiye, and Syria.

He called on regional countries to put aside historical grievances and unite against what he described as a “great external enemy.” He urged governments in the region to act with strength, avoid retaliation among themselves, and prioritise collective interests.

Hekmatyar also launched a scathing verbal attack on Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last Shah, accusing him of encouraging the US and Israel to destroy Iran, massacre its population, and even consider nuclear strikes on Tehran.

He concluded his remarks by claiming that signs of America’s internal decline are already visible, particularly in states like California, which he alleged is home to growing separatist movements.

Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zia Ahmad Takal said the discussions centred on both the immediate and long-term consequences of the war, including its economic impact on the region.

The meeting, organised by the Strategic Studies Centre of the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, was attended by several senior officials. According to Takal, the group evaluated various scenarios stemming from the conflict and how they might influence Afghanistan’s security, economy and diplomatic positioning.

Separately, credible sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban’s intelligence agency convened a confidential meeting to analyse the possible collapse of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Intelligence officials reportedly view the emergence of a democratic government in Iran as a potential threat to the Taliban’s ideological and strategic interests.