KABUL (Kashmir English): Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have further intensified their crackdown on the internet, severing fiber optic connections in several provinces, an action officials described as a campaign against evil.
According to a foreign news agency, this measure, taken on the orders of Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, has resulted in a complete shutdown of high-speed internet in several areas for two days.
Attaullah Zaid, a government spokesperson in Balkh province, stated that on the orders of the Taliban leader, fiber optic internet has been completely banned in the province.
He said, “This step has been taken to prevent evil, and alternative means of communication will soon be provided across the country.”
Foreign media confirmed that internet access in Balkh is now only possible through telephone networks.
An official from a private internet company in Kabul, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that fiber optic is the most widely used technology in Afghanistan, but they were not informed of the reasons for this decision.
Restrictions badly affecting daily life in Afghanistan
According to Afghan media, these restrictions are severely affecting daily life. In Balkh, the internet blackout paralyzed banking systems and other internet-based services.
Following public complaints, Taliban Governor Yusuf Wafa ordered exemptions for banks, identity card offices, and a few key departments, after which internet services were restored to these institutions on Tuesday morning, and banking services resumed.
