Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered the removal of the term “acting” from all positions within the group’s administration, marking the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. In a statement issued on Friday, Akhundzada instructed ministers and officials to cease using the word “acting” when referring to their titles. This change follows the Taliban cabinet’s initial announcement in September 2021, where members had held the “acting” designation for political reasons, as explained earlier by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
“Ministers and cabinet members should avoid using the word ‘acting’ and focus on serving the Sharia system and Muslims,” Akhundzada said in his directive.
The statement, issued on August 15, the day the Taliban entered Kabul in 2021, framed the group’s victory as a historic moment of Afghanistan’s “liberation from American occupation.” Akhundzada claimed that under Taliban rule, the country has achieved national security and is now free from corruption, theft, and other forms of lawlessness that plagued the nation during previous administrations.
He also hailed the establishment of the “sacred Sharia system” as a success since the end of the war, emphasising that Afghanistan is now a secure and pious state under Islamic law. While the Taliban celebrates August 15 as “Victory Day,” many Afghans, especially women, view it as a “Dark Day” due to the sweeping restrictions imposed since the group’s return to power.
The Taliban’s rule has been marked by a severe rollback of women’s rights. Under Akhundzada’s leadership, the group has enforced decrees barring girls from attending school beyond grade six, closing universities to women, and imposing strict limitations on female employment and freedom of movement. Human rights organisations have widely criticised these actions as gender apartheid.
Akhundzada, who remains largely out of the public eye, continues to issue decrees through written and audio statements, further consolidating his control over the country while pushing for the enforcement of his vision of Sharia law.
