KABUL (SW) – The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (MoPVPV) authorities have confirmed reports of the moral police rounding up girls in Kabul over their alleged inappropriate dress code in defiance to the Islamic Sharia and in order to prevent “obscenity”.
Abdul Ghafar Farooq, the spokesperson for the MoPVPV told Salam Watandar that the relevant officials arrested a number of girls in Kabul on Wednesday, over dress code. Mr. Farooq added that before arresting these girls, they were advised many times by the ombudsman office to obey the proper dress code.
He emphasized: “I must say that this is an Islamic country and an Afghan society where 90% of the people are Muslim. They do not want prostitution, debauchery and nakedness, and are strongly against it. It has been almost two years that the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, its complaint hearing department and the ombudsman have made many recommendations to the people in order to popularize good things and prevent bad things, and in a special way about hijab in the light of hadiths, Quran and religion, and presented to people these ideas repeatedly and in a soft tone.”
The spokesperson emphasized that after ignoring these recommendations for more than two years, they were forced to make arrests to prevent obscenity in the society.
“Unfortunately, despite these orders, they have not paid any attention to them. Based on their religious obligations and principles, they (officials) were forced to prevent the evils from spreading. These are a few women who promote not wearing hijab in the Islamic society, violate the principles of Sharia, they were taken by the women’s police on the orders of their families, and after going through legal procedures and being referred to legal organs, they were released after a guarantee. We reject reports that they have been taken to an unknown location.”
However, some residents of the capital say that they have witnessed the arrest of a number of girls from Kabul city and this situation has created fear.
Nastaran, a resident of Kabul, says: “Yesterday, I went to Shah Du-shamshira for an electronic ID card. They took down a little girl from the car who was sitting with her mother because a bit of her hair were visible. They said that your daughter should be in Badam Bagh for twenty days; and twenty days later, come and take her away when she is reformed.”
Mahbuba, a resident of the west of Kabul, also said: “My sister was in her classroom when her classmates were taken away from the center. Two of her classmates, whose families are not here and had gone out for Mother’s Day and are arrested due to dress code violation.”
A group of religious scholars in the western part of Kabul convened a consultative meeting with scholars, community representatives on Tuesday, January 9.
“Our demand from the Islamic Emirate and the MoPVPV is that whenever they have plans in the west of Kabul, they must also have community representatives with them. The arrests have also caused chaos among the people,” he said.
Ayatullah Misbah, the head of the Department of Mosques in the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, Hajj, says that the arrest of girls and women is inappropriate and must be prevented. “Accomplishment of programs of the MoPVPV requires cultural programs.”
Ehsanullah Saqib, the commander of MoPVPV in the 18th security district of Kabul city, says that these arrests have been temporary.
It is worth noting that this marks the first instance where the MoPVPV has apprehended several girls in various areas of Kabul city on this charge.
ENDS
