Hundreds Protest In Northern Balkh Province As Taliban Move To Raze Shops

The cleric labelled the Pakistani government as “puppets” and its laws as influenced by “Jews and Christians.”

In a video circulated on social media, Haqqani criticised Pakistani clerics, including Mufti Taqi Usmani, for refusing to issue similar calls. He claimed they remained silent out of fear of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency and argued that imprisonment or death would be preferable to what he described as the moral decline of Muslim scholars. Haqqani went as far as to pray for a “heavenly thunderbolt” to strike Pakistan.

Taliban government statements frequently refer to Haqqani with titles such as “Sheikh al-Hadith” and “Mawlana,” underscoring his religious authority within the group. He previously served as a spokesperson for the ministry overseeing emergency response and currently leads Sheikh Zayed University in Khost.

Escalating War of Words

Haqqani’s comments follow sharp criticism from Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, head of Pakistan’s Ulema Council and the prime minister’s special representative for interfaith affairs. Ashrafi urged the Taliban to refrain from interfering in Pakistan’s internal matters, telling them, “We are not your students; you are our students.”

Ashrafi described Pakistan as an Islamic nation that had made decades of sacrifices for Afghanistan. He said thousands of Pakistanis had lost their lives supporting Afghans, but recent attacks launched from Afghan territory had caused Pakistani civilian casualties.

“Wars you claim to have won were because of our sacrifices,” Ashrafi said. “If you do not know this, ask. Is it possible that we could fight your battles but be unable to defend our own homeland?”

The Taliban have not yet officially responded to Haqqani’s remarks.

Haji Zaid, spokesman for the Taliban governor in Balkh province, said the decision was made “to prevent immoral activities” and that authorities were now seeking alternatives.

At least three sources told Afghanistan International that fibre-optic services have been shut down across Afghanistan for the past three weeks.

Residents in Mazar-i-Sharif city reported Monday that Wi-Fi services in the city had been cut. Telecommunications companies confirmed the shutdown, saying it was carried out under Taliban orders. According to locals, Afghan Telecom and all other cable internet providers have been suspended, leaving only low-speed mobile internet in operation.

Impact Of Fibre-Optic Shutdown

The loss of fibre-optic connections has severely restricted access to high-speed internet in Afghanistan. Government offices, private businesses and households can no longer use reliable fast internet, relying instead on slower mobile networks.

The shutdown has disrupted online government services, banking, and remote education, while businesses struggle to operate. Analysts warn the move could further deter foreign investment, restrict Afghanistan’s access to global markets, and deprive students of educational opportunities.

Fibre-optic internet transmits data using light signals through glass cables, offering far greater speed and stability than mobile networks. Afghanistan is connected to international broadband through fibre-optic links with five neighbouring countries.

Figures from the former Ministry of Communications show the previous government invested heavily in fibre-optic projects, including a $150 million initiative funded by $60 million from Afghanistan’s state budget and the remainder by the US Agency for International Development.

Residents of Mazar-i-Sharif city said the shutdown began on Monday when Taliban authorities ordered service providers to cut Wi-Fi in the city. Local telecommunications companies confirmed the decision, saying it had been issued by Taliban officials.

Afghan Telecom and several other providers suspended cable-based internet services, though mobile networks remain operational.

A Kabul-based internet service provider told Afghanistan International that the Taliban halted fibre-optic services nationwide about 20 days ago. The company official, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, said providers contacted the Ministry of Communications for clarification but were told the directive had come directly from Kandahar.

According to the source, a Taliban cabinet delegation is expected to travel to Kandahar to brief the group’s supreme leader on the importance of fibre-optic services for major development projects, including the TAPI and TAP regional pipeline initiatives.

Direct Order from Akhundzada

A telecom official in Mazar-i-Sharif city also confirmed the shutdown, saying the decision was announced during an emergency meeting between Balkh governor Mohammad Yusuf Wafa and internet providers. He said Wafa told participants that the order had come directly from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Companies said Taliban leaders have justified the restrictions as a way to curb “immorality.” In previous directives, service providers were instructed to block access to apps such as TikTok and PUBG, as well as pornography websites. Providers said the cost of such filtering was prohibitively high, between $50,000 and $100,000 a month. They managed to block some adult websites but failed to restrict the apps, a shortfall that repeatedly drew Taliban criticism.

Sources said Akhundzada has now opted to suspend high-speed internet altogether in order to control public opinion. The new policy may be implemented gradually, province by province.

Before the fibre-optic shutdown, average internet speeds in Afghanistan reached about 40 megabits per second. Since the suspension, speeds on wireless networks have fallen to between 4 and 6 Mbps.

Part of Global Trend

The Taliban’s move in Mazar-i-Sharif is the latest example of internet restrictions being used as a political tool. According to the global watchdog NetBlocks, there were 296 shutdowns recorded in 54 countries in 2024 alone.

Iran almost entirely cut internet access during protests over rising fuel prices in November 2019 and has since imposed widespread filtering and limits on high-speed services. Russia, since 2021, has throttled internet connections and blocked access to several social media platforms.

In May 2022, the UN Human Rights Office warned that shutdowns severely disrupt daily life, restricting access to information and essential services.

One of The World’s Slowest Networks

Afghanistan already ranks near the bottom of global connectivity. According to data from Ookla’s Speedtest, the country is placed 150th worldwide for internet speeds.

Analysts say the suspension or throttling of high-speed internet will further damage the quality of life in urban areas, where connectivity underpins commerce, education, and entertainment. They warn that the policy could have serious economic, educational, and social consequences, further isolating Afghans from access to information and participation in modern life.

The order brings to 21 the number of provinces where restrictions on showing living beings are enforced.

The watchdog, citing an informed source, said Taliban governor Yousuf Wafa held a meeting on September 8 with local officials, including Mullah Mohammad Mohammadi, head of the state-run Radio Television Afghanistan in Balkh. Wafa reportedly stressed that publishing images of living beings is prohibited and instructed officials not to take part in video recordings or interviews.

A local source said state television in Balkh stopped airing images immediately after the order and now broadcasts only on radio. The ban was reportedly issued after several Taliban officials travelled to Kandahar and met with the group’s leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Since the adoption of the Taliban’s “Vice and Virtue” law in August last year, similar restrictions have been imposed in 20 other provinces, including Kandahar, Takhar, Badghis, Helmand, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Farah, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Nimroz, Jawzjan, Zabul, Parwan, Kunduz, Bamiyan, Daikundi, Faryab, Panjshir, Laghman and Sar-e-Pul.

The Afghanistan Journalists Centre condemned the move as a violation of fundamental freedoms of expression and independent media. It warned the restrictions would harm media operations, jeopardise journalists’ safety and undermine the public’s right to information.

The group urged the Taliban to review and revoke the directive along with other decrees that contradict Afghanistan’s media laws.

The adviser, Farooq Azam, was detained on the orders of Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the sources said. He has reportedly been transferred to the Taliban’s oversight office in Kabul, and his case referred to a military court in the capital.

“He had recently written posts and made comments in private meetings that contradicted the emirate’s [Taliban] policies, which led to his arrest,” one source said.

Azam drew attention last week when he wrote on Facebook that female nurses should be sent to Kunar to demonstrate to Taliban members opposed to women’s education “that women’s learning is useful” and to provide a practical example of its importance to society.

He also appealed to female health professionals inside and outside Afghanistan to act swiftly to assist those affected by the disaster.

In his post, Azam asked: “Can our educated women take initiative and make sacrifices to secure their place in society? If the answer is yes, then now is the time.”