Despite Taliban music ban, Afghan taxi drivers cut songs at checkpoints, resume after
In Kabul, taxi drivers secretly play music in defiance of a Taliban ban, muting it at checkpoints and turning it back on once past
Listening to music in public places has become difficult in Afghanistan since the Taliban imposed a ban on it. But despite the restrictions, some taxi drivers in Kabul have been found secretly playing music in their vehicles.
Interestingly, as soon as these drivers spot Taliban security personnel or a checkpoint ahead, they immediately turn the volume down or switch the music off completely. Once the checkpoint is left behind, the song starts playing again. This game of hide and seek with music on Kabul's roads has become a talking point.
A taxi driver named Roeen said that whenever he approaches a checkpoint during a trip, he lowers the volume or turns the music off entirely. He does this to avoid any trouble with Taliban personnel. Under the rules of the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, drivers of commercial vehicles are not permitted to play music. Because of this, drivers have to stay alert at all times while playing music in their vehicles.
According to Roeen, the restriction has, if anything, increased his desire to listen to music. If he does not get a chance to listen to music early in the morning, he turns it on later while driving. He said listening to music is no longer just a means of entertainment for him but has become an essential part of his daily life.
Another taxi driver said he listens to music, but only when he is alone in the vehicle. He has previously been stopped at checkpoints twice. On one occasion he was searched after a USB drive and a memory card were found in his vehicle. The incident makes clear that there is an atmosphere of fear among drivers.
Because of the Taliban's restrictions, music playing in public places has become quite rare. Other means of entertainment have also been banned in many places. In this situation, the small radio fitted in a taxi or a song playing on a mobile phone has remained one of the few sources of entertainment for drivers.
Some drivers believe that music is an important part of Afghan culture, and despite the ban, they are not willing to give it up entirely. However, out of fear of Taliban action, this resistance is being carried out not openly but cautiously.
This is the scene on Kabul's crowded roads: music plays in a vehicle, silence falls the moment a checkpoint comes into view, and the music starts playing again once the checkpoint is passed. This furtive musical journey by taxi drivers, carried out in the shadow of the Taliban's music ban, has become a subject of discussion these days.
