Hundreds of Afghan men and women on Tuesday took to the streets of Kabul to protest against the Taliban while shouting anti-Pakistan slogans over Islamabad’s interference in Afghanistan’s affairs, according to news agencies. The protest reportedly began outside the Pakistan embassy in Kabul, denouncing Islamabad’s alleged interference in Afghanistan and its support for the Taliban’s offensive in Panjshir.
Videos of the anti-Taliban march were shared on social media in which protesters can be heard shouting slogans like “Long live the resistance” and “Death to Pakistan.” Witnesses said that the Taliban gunmen fired in the air to disperse a rally and arrested several Afghan journalists who were covering the protest, reported news agencies. There were no immediate reports of injuries but protesters were taken aback by the gunfire.
“The Islamic government is shooting at our poor people,” one panic-stricken woman said in an Iranian television news video clip, reported Reuters. “These people (Taliban) are very unjust, and they are not human at all.”
Afghanistan’s TOLO News said the Taliban also detained its cameraman Wahid Ahmadi for covering the protest.
“They made me rub my nose on the ground and apologize for covering the protest,” An Afghan journalist who was detained and later freed told The Associated Press. “Journalism in Afghanistan is getting harder,” he added.
Saad Mohseni, CEO of Tolo’s parent company Moby Group, took to Twitter to highlight the Taliban’s earlier assurance and contrasting actions.
“The Taliban have always insisted that they will respect freedom of expression and the media’s right to cover events…and now this,” he tweeted.
Several media reports suggest that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) wants a puppet government in Afghanistan headed by its “own person”, which has led to a delay in the government formation. Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid last Saturday said that the announcement about the new government and Cabinet members will now be made this week.
