Afghanistan’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has announced that strict legal measures will be taken against any employees or moral inspectors (Muhtasibs) who breach established legal frameworks or treat citizens inappropriately. Officials at the institution emphasize that since its inception, a significant number of offending officers have received corrective warnings, been formally dismissed from their posts, and been referred to judicial and legal authorities for prosecution due to exceeding their executive mandates and failing to observe job regulations.
Kabul 24: Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, the official spokesperson for the ministry, clarified that the rule of law applies to the department’s own personnel before anyone else, stating that the administration will not remain indifferent to arbitrary actions, excesses, or potential violations by its agents. Although he did not provide specific numerical breakdowns regarding dismissed inspectors, he stressed that clear precedent cases exist where offending officers were removed from their duties and referred to courts for criminal proceedings following regulatory breaches.
Meanwhile, prominent religious scholars and citizens, expressing serious concern over issues such as privacy violations and aggressive field conduct, have demanded polite, gentle, responsible behavior, and full respect for basic civil rights from inspectors. Scholars and Kabul residents further emphasize that lasting social reform and resolving existing community challenges can only be achieved through respectful engagement, legal compliance, and mutual cooperation between the public and inspectors. In response, ministry officials pledged to prevent arbitrary practices and ensure no inspector unlawfully invades personal privacy.
Analysis
This official stance by the Ministry of Vice and Virtue reflects the Taliban’s awareness of growing public dissatisfaction regarding arbitrary enforcement and privacy violations by inspectors. Emphasizing the dismissal and prosecution of offending officers represents an effort to repair the institution’s public image and enforce internal organizational discipline. However, curbing discretionary behavior and earning genuine public trust will remain challenging unless transparent legal standards and impartial oversight are implemented over field operations.
