In a recent development, the Taliban has prohibited women from entering Band-e-Amir national park, situated in the central Bamiyan province of Afghanistan.
Mohammad Khaled Hanafi, Afghanistan's acting minister of virtue and vice, cited the reason for the ban as women not adhering to hijab regulations within the park. He called for the intervention of religious clerics and security agencies to prevent women from entering until a resolution is reached.
Band-e-Amir, established as Afghanistan's first national park in 2009, is a notable tourist destination, particularly favored by families. However, the new ban on women visiting the park will significantly curtail the ability of many to experience its beauty and charm.
According to Unesco, the park is characterized by its "naturally created group of lakes with special geological formations and structure, as well as natural and unique beauty."
Despite its popularity, Hanafi emphasized that visiting the park for sightseeing was "not obligatory," as reported by Afghan agency Tolo News.
Religious leaders in Bamiyan highlighted that women not adhering to the regulations were mostly visitors from other regions. Sayed Nasrullah Waezi, the head of the Bamiyan Shia Ulema Council, clarified that the complaints about inadequate or improper hijab were directed towards non-residents.
Afghan MP Mariam Solaimankhil expressed her response to the ban through a poem shared on X (previously known as Twitter), asserting her belief in the eventual return of women to the park.
Fereshta Abbasi, a representative of Human Rights Watch, criticized the timing of the ban, which coincided with Women's Equality Day. She labeled it a "blatant disregard for the women of Afghanistan."
On another note, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, questioned the necessity of the ban, asking why such restrictions were deemed essential to uphold Sharia law and Afghan culture.
The Taliban has a history of imposing temporary bans on various activities for women, including schooling, under the premise of cultural and religious reasons. This latest ban on visiting Band-e-Amir National Park adds to the growing list of restrictions placed on women since the Taliban regained control in August 2021. Photo by Carl Montgomery, Wikimedia commons