Taliban face backlash for 'disrespecting' host nations' anthems

Islamabad — 

Pakistan and Iran person sharply criticized diplomats from the de facto Taliban authorities successful neighboring Afghanistan for showing “disrespect” to their nationalist anthems successful breach of diplomatic norms.

The contention arose earlier this week aft the Taliban consul general, Mohibullah Shakir, and his workfellow remained seated during the playing of the Pakistani nationalist anthem astatine an authoritative ceremonial successful the northwestern metropolis of Peshawar.

The determination triggered nationalist outrage successful Pakistan and demands for Shakir's expulsion.

Islamabad swiftly protested and officially complained to de facto Afghan authorities successful Kabul, denouncing their diplomat’s “disrespect” for the Pakistani nationalist anthem arsenic a “reprehensible” enactment and a breach of “diplomatic norms.”

Shakir’s ngo bureau successful Peshawar defended his stance and dismissed allegations of disrespect for the anthem. It said the diplomat remained seated due to the fact that the anthem had music, which the Taliban see forbidden successful enactment with their strict mentation of Islam. “Imagine a spiritual student lasting up for music,” a consulate spokesperson was quoted arsenic saying.

Since regaining power of Afghanistan successful 2021, the extremist Taliban leaders person enforced their strict mentation of Islamic law, known arsenic Sharia. This enforcement includes banning music, prohibiting girls' acquisition beyond the sixth grade, and barring Afghan women from astir workplaces, among different restrictions.

However, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected the Taliban’s mentation connected Thursday. At a quality league successful Islamabad, Mumtaz Baloch stated that Shakir’s enactment “hurt the sentiments of the radical of Pakistan.” She cautioned that her authorities reserves the close to instrumentality further enactment successful enactment with planetary diplomatic norms and practices.

“We expect immoderate idiosyncratic who enjoys a diplomatic presumption successful Pakistan to respect those norms,” Baloch said. “We person raised this with the Afghan authorities and conveyed our beardown displeasure … and we besides cull the mentation that the acting Council General has fixed for his actions.”

Taliban’s conflicting stance

Meanwhile, Iran besides has criticized the caput of a Taliban delegation, Azizurrahman Mansour, a lawman minister, for not lasting during the big country’s anthem astatine an International Islamic Unity Conference connected Thursday successful Tehran, wherever the Iranian president was successful attendance.

The Foreign Ministry aboriginal summoned Taliban Acting Ambassador Fazal Mohammad Haqqani to question clarification regarding Mansour disrespecting the nationalist anthem.

Iranian media quoted Haqqani arsenic reaffirming his country’s respect for Iran, claiming that Mansour’s enactment was “personal” and not reflective of the Afghan government’s authoritative stance.

Mansour aboriginal stated successful a ceremonial video connection that helium remained seated during the Iranian nationalist anthem successful enactment with traditions successful Afghanistan. “In our country, we beryllium erstwhile the opus is played, and I person acted according to this custom. We apologize to the radical who were upset.”

The Taliban's explanation, though, failed to easiness the outrage successful Iran.

“Disrespecting diplomatic norms nether the pretext of Sharia-based prohibition of euphony doesn’t marque immoderate sense,” Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s peculiar envoy for Afghanistan, said connected societal media level X, formerly known arsenic Twitter. He wrote successful the section connection that listening to euphony should besides beryllium prohibited if euphony is banned.

Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a salient Iranian “reformist and elder adjutant to erstwhile President Mohammad Khatami,” besides joined the Iranian governmental denunciation of the Taliban. The London-based Iran International Persian-language tv transmission published a translation of Abtahi’s section connection X post.

"The Taliban's disrespect toward the nationalist anthems of Pakistan and Iran, and their refusal to stand, has ideological roots." Abtahi further warned, "When we accidental that the Taliban's ideology is much unsafe than the thousands of weapons they have, this is what we mean.”

Abtahi criticized the league organizers for inviting the Taliban and stated that "the bulk of Muslims everywhere, including successful Iran, bash not question unity with the Taliban.”

Iran is simply a bulk Shi’ite Muslim country, and the Taliban represents the bulk Sunni Muslim assemblage successful Afghanistan.

No state has officially recognized the Taliban arsenic the morganatic authorities successful Kabul, chiefly due to the fact that of their restrictions connected women’s entree to acquisition and nationalist beingness astatine large.

On Thursday, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that his authorities controlled astir 40 Afghan embassies and consulates worldwide, and that its diplomatic relations with the planetary assemblage were improving.

Many Western governments, including the United States, importune that ceremonial designation of the Taliban depends connected their actions regarding women's rights, acquisition for girls and women, and state of movement.