As Taliban hardliners continue to crack a whip on Aghan women and youth, the barbers worry about an uncertain future and shudder at the thought of seeing dark days again.
In 2001, the ruling Taliban had jailed barbers for giving customers a haircut styled after Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Titanic. In addition, the Taliban ministry for religious affairs had also sent a letter to barbers across Kabul warning them not to give ‘foreign haircuts’. Those arrested were accused of “popularizing anti-Islamic Western hairstyles,”.
Haircuts that outlawed the Taliban who were trying to impose a strict interpretation of Islam also included the ‘Beatles cut’. For the Taliban, the easy target at first was the youth who were stopped from copying DiCaprio’s haircut by taking them to the barbers to shave their heads. When it did not bore substantial results, Taliban officials ordered a crackdown on the barbers giving the haircuts.
Now as the militant power seize power once again after 20 years, grief and panic-stricken Afghanistan and its people especially the barbers contemplate a repeat of history.
Despite laying down promises of being accomodating, the militant outfit, now in complete control of Afghanistan, has already begun enforcing its ‘rules’ on the citizens no matter how bizarre they are.
Besides objection to showing one’s body, muscles, and the need to grow a beard, Afghan Barbers now fear a slew of guidelines aimed at disrupting their business at large.
A barber working in Kabul told Reuters on Wednesday that he was scared of what Taliban rule could mean for his trade in the future.
“There is no work, and in the previous system of the Islamic Emirate, our work was against the law, and they said that men’s make-up and tattoos are not allowed, so the clientele is very low, everyone is scared and I work in fear, and their (Taliban) law has not been implemented yet, whether we will be allowed to work or not,” said Mohammad Amin Noori.
Besides barbers, music, dance, sports especially women’s sports are also expected to bear the brunt.
Even if Afghanistan’s cricket officials have said the Taliban’s coming will not impact cricket, the journalists are not sure. Women’s sports, they told Outlook will surely see dark days again. Earlier this week, Afghanistan’s football officials wanted to take refuge in India after having promoted women’s football.
This comes at a time when western countries are rushing to complete the evacuation of thousands of people from Afghanistan as the August 31 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops draws closer with no sign of Taliban rulers allowing an extension.
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