Several weeks after the disappearance of Zalala Hashemi, a well-known Afghan singer, her family says that the Taliban have not only taken no action to find her, but have also pressured them to deny the story of her kidnapping and replace it with “running away from home.”
One of Zalala’s relatives told the media that despite officially registering a complaint with Taliban security agencies, the group has not been willing to open a real case to find Zalala. The Taliban have even warned them not to contact the media, he said.
While the Taliban claim that Zalala left home voluntarily, her family calls this a blatant lie.
They say Zalala was not taking her young son, her mobile phone or her passport with her when she disappeared. The family has also called a video that allegedly shows her leaving the house a fake.
Zalala Hashemi, a prominent figure in Afghan music, was last seen in Kabul and has not been seen since.
Instead of responding, the Taliban spokesman is promoting the official government narrative and preventing the release of independent information.