Taliban Marks Three Years Of Rule: How Has The Taliban's Sharia Law Rule Transformed Afghanistan?

The Taliban's supreme spiritual leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, declared that Afghanistan has been transformed into a country governed by Islamic sharia law, as the group celebrated the third anniversary of their rule with a grand military parade at Bagram Air Base near Kabul.

In his speech, shared by the administration's spokesman, Akhundzada emphasized, "The system is Islamic and sharia-based; sharia is being implemented." He further vowed to uphold and enforce Islamic law as long as the Taliban remains in power, as reported by Firstpost.

Photo Credit: PTI

How Has The Taliban's Sharia Law Rule Transformed Afghanistan?

Since seizing control of Kabul on August 15, 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces and the disintegration of Afghan security forces, the Taliban has faced significant criticism for its strict enforcement of sharia law. Critics, including foreign diplomats, human rights advocates, and many Afghans, have condemned the group's harsh restrictions on women's rights, including bans on education, travel, and public activities.

The military parade held a day before the anniversary, showcased the Taliban's military might with demonstrations of tanks and weaponry at Bagram, once the largest US-led coalition military base. Much of this equipment was previously held by the Afghan military and was captured by the Taliban following their takeover, as reported by Firstpost.

While the Taliban has succeeded in improving some economic indicators, such as exports, and has largely ended widespread fighting, the country faces a severe humanitarian crisis exacerbated by cuts in development funding and restrictions imposed by Western governments. Over half of Afghanistan's population is in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

The Taliban's approach to women's rights has stalled international recognition and the lifting of sanctions. The group has barred girls above the age of approximately 12 from formal education, restricted women's travel without male guardians, and banned women from visiting gyms and parks, as per media reports.

Despite their claims of respecting women's rights in accordance with their interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law, human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, have criticized the Taliban's actions. Samira Hamidi, Regional Campaigner for South Asia at Amnesty International, labelled the continued lack of progress in addressing the human rights crisis as a global shame.