In a fresh display of political repression, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has ordered the immediate closure of all Hezb-e-Islami offices across the country, the arrest of its members, and the confiscation of office equipment, according to an official document made public by Habib-ur-Rahman Hekmatyar, son of the party’s leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
The directive, issued on March 29 by the Taliban’s Directorate of Justice in Kunduz province, cites the continued activities of Hezb-e-Islami despite the regime’s blanket ban on political parties. “If there is any office of Hezb-e-Islami in any province, its equipment must be handed over to the relevant authorities and the office closed. The staff should be detained until they repent from their activities,” the order states.
The letter also instructs authorities to arrest individuals operating under the party’s name even in areas without formal offices, and to carry out these actions in coordination with provincial governors and Taliban intelligence.
The move drew sharp condemnation from Habib-ur-Rahman Hekmatyar, who posted a photo of the document on the social media platform X. He accused the Taliban of silencing opposition and suppressing Islamic and political freedoms. “The Taliban are ignorant of justice and Islamic rights. They do not tolerate advice, criticism, or dissent,” he wrote.
He further likened the Taliban’s authoritarian rule to that of Afghanistan’s former communist regime, questioning its legitimacy. “Only the Taliban have the right to govern, while hundreds of thousands of young people are fleeing the country. The communists failed and were disgraced — and the Taliban are repeating the same failed and shameful experiment,” he stated.
Since seizing power, the Taliban have systematically dismantled all forms of political plurality. In April 2022, they dissolved the political parties department within the Ministry of Justice and terminated its staff, later declaring political activity illegal under their regime.
The latest crackdown signals a further descent into autocracy, with Afghanistan’s rulers eliminating any space for opposition, free expression, or political engagement.
