The Taliban’s minister for the propagation of virtue has claimed that the rights of Ismailis in Afghanistan are protected, despite multiple reports documenting abuses against the religious minority.
Khalid Hanafi made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of Shia Ismailis, which the Taliban said was held to coordinate, hear concerns and cooperate on religious outreach.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, January 21, the spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue said Hanafi had emphasised the need to address the religious concerns of the Ismaili community. According to the statement, Hanafi asserted that in an Islamic system the rights of all Afghans are protected and that responding to citizens’ religious issues is a core responsibility of the government.
Hanafi added that the Taliban administration would make every effort to “reform society” and stressed the role of religious scholars, tribal elders and the public in addressing social issues. He said eliminating what he described as social problems and improper customs requires collective cooperation.
The remarks come amid persistent reports of discrimination and abuse against religious minorities, including allegations of pressure to convert and the seizure of Ismaili land by Taliban authorities.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, reported that in the first three months of 2025 the Taliban coerced more than 50 Ismailis into converting to Sunni Islam. According to the report, Taliban agents beat, intimidated and threatened with death those who refused to convert.
A study by the rights group Rawadari, published in December 2025, found that since the Taliban’s return to power Ismaili Shias have faced forced conversion, forced displacement, exclusion from state institutions, land and property seizures, and increasing restrictions on religious practices.
Local sources in Takhar and Badakhshan provinces also told Afghanistan International in late December 2025 and early January 2026 that three Ismaili men had been killed by armed individuals in the two provinces within the space of a month.
Human rights activists say harassment, forced conversions and killings of members of the Ismaili community stem from the Taliban’s exclusionary ideology, contradicting official claims that minority rights are being upheld.
