Increasing Taliban pressure to grow beards and wear hats.
In recent weeks, reports have emerged from several provinces of the country indicating that the Taliban have imposed new restrictions on citizens’ appearance.
According to these reports, the requirement to grow beards and wear hats has gone beyond government and private institutions and now includes students, athletes, and ordinary citizens.
Students at Paktia University say they have been asked to sign a pledge to change their appearance and behavior in accordance with Taliban orders.
These pledges require them to grow beards, wear hats, and attend congregational prayers regularly, and warn that “legal action” will be taken if they violate them.
The Paktia University administration has also announced that students are not allowed to wear black university caps at graduation ceremonies and must wear white or Kandahari caps.
In addition to academics, the Taliban’s Amr-e-Maruf office in Paktia has also taken similar pledges from athletes and some ordinary citizens.
At the same time, students say that the department’s frequent meetings disrupt their academic progress and that attendance at such meetings is mandatory.
According to them, absence from these meetings is recorded as “unexcused absence” and subjects students to warnings.
