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IEA focused on implementing ‘pure Islamic system’ nationwide, UNAMA says
The UN in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Thursday released a report on the impact, implementation and enforcement of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) law on the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice (PVPV law) and found there to be a determination by IEA authorities to ensure their vision of a pure Islamic system is implemented nationwide.
The report covers the six-month period since the law’s promulgation in August last year. UNAMA stated it had “observed overall more systematic and consistent efforts in the de facto authorities’ enforcement of the PVPV law led by the de facto Ministry of the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and Hearing of Complaints compared to the de facto authorities’ enforcement of earlier decrees.”
UNAMA noted that these efforts include the establishment of implementation committees in 28 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, and the deployment of about 3,300 PVPV inspectors with broad discretionary powers.
According to the report, UNAMA also observed far-reaching socio-economic impacts on Afghan men and women, “including increased restrictions on Afghans’ personal and private spaces and on women and girls’ access to public spaces and healthcare, dress code, and travel.
The report stated that the direct and indirect socio-economic effects of the law’s implementation are likely to compound Afghanistan’s dire economic and humanitarian situation, including on the ability of UN agencies and international NGOs to deliver humanitarian and basic human needs assistance to millions of people across Afghanistan.
In response to this report, however, the Ministry for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice has stated that it has helped thousands of women to secure their rights and has saved them from forced marriages in all provinces.
The ministry added that it has prevented abuses to eliminate undesirable customs and traditions in the country.
According to the ministry, a number of unknown groups, to achieve their malicious goals, have ignored all these achievements and seek to confuse public opinion.
This comes after the UN Security Council stated in a resolution on Afghanistan in December last year that it was seriously concerned “about the increasing erosion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular for women and girls and their lack of equal access to education, employment, justice, economic opportunities, full, equal and meaningful participation in public life, freedom of movement, and enjoyment of basic services – the absence of which make peace, stability, and prosperity in the country unattainable.”
The UNSC reiterated “its call for the Taliban (IEA) to swiftly reverse these policies and practices, including the “vice and virtue” directive”.
Roza Otunbayeva, Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), recently visited the city of Maimana in northern Afghanistan, where she met with local officials, entrepreneurs, and UN staff.
UNAMA wrote on its Facebook page on Sunday, that during the visit, entrepreneurs — including women — met with Otunbayeva, and requested support to facilitate access to new markets, particularly in Uzbekistan.
UNAMA further stated that among these entrepreneurs was a group of women who, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had established a tailoring workshop.
They expressed their appreciation for the support received and spoke about the significant growth and development of their business.
UNAMA added that the organization remains committed to promoting economic opportunities and empowering Afghan communities, especially women.
Anand Prakash, head of the Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, met with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul for talks on various issues.
According to a press release issued Sunday by the Afghan Foreign Ministry, bilateral political relations, trade, transit and recent political developments in the region were discussed in the meeting.
Muttaqi stressed the need for the expansion of diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries and explained that Afghanistan currently offers favorable opportunities for investment. He said Indian investors should take advantage of these opportunities.
He also said that facilities should be created for the movement of people between Afghanistan and India and the issuance of visas for medical purposes, students and businessmen should return to normal.
Meanwhile, Prakash said that relations with Afghanistan are important for India and he hopes that these relations will expand further in various fields.
He stressed that India will continue its cooperation with Afghanistan and wants to invest in some infrastructure projects and restart projects that were paused for some time.
The two sides also emphasized the expansion of relations, the exchange of delegations, visa facilitation and bilateral cooperation.
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said in a phone call with his Uzbek counterpart that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway project.
During the call, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, as well as expanding political, economic and transit cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul said in a statement on Sunday.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov noted that Afghanistan’s exports to Uzbekistan have tripled in the first four months of 2025 compared to last year. He vowed to create more facilities in the field of trade and transit between the two countries, especially in issuing visas to Afghan citizens.
Meanwhile, Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of major economic projects such as the Trans-Afghan railway project and for the strengthening of political, trade and transit cooperation with Uzbekistan. He said that the existing opportunities should be utilized for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
The two sides also discussed the holding of a trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan at the level of foreign ministers and agreed to coordinate through diplomatic channels to determine the exact date and place of the meeting.
The three neighboring countries signed an agreement in February 2021 to construct a 573-kilometer railway line through Afghanistan, connecting landlocked Central Asia to Pakistan seaports, with an estimated cost of $4.8 billion to enhance regional economic connectivity.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Uzbek foreign minister last Thursday to discuss the Trans-Afghan railway project.
Dar expressed hope that the three countries would soon sign a framework agreement on this important regional project.
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