Whips and Coercion by Taliban at Pamir Cinema; Citizens Forced to Attend Friday Prayers Without Ablution.
Residents in the Pamir Cinema area of Kabul report that agents of the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue forcibly took shopkeepers and street vendors to Friday prayers.
Witnesses say two Taliban enforcers carrying whips ordered people to immediately close their shops and proceed to Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque for prayers. A local source said the agents shouted at people to move quickly and accused them of lacking religious commitment. He added that anyone who hesitated or ignored the order was violently beaten.
Other witnesses confirmed that many citizens stood for prayer only out of fear of punishment, even though they had not performed proper ablution.
Reports indicate that the Taliban have enforced compulsory attendance at Friday prayers in the past as well, with similar incidents previously documented in provinces such as Herat. The practice has sparked widespread public concern and criticism.
