Taliban’s Political Game with the Fate of 36 Million Afghans; A Merchant Forced to Send a Letter to His Family After the Internet Shutdown

Ali Khara / Reuters

Following the complete shutdown of the internet and telephone communications for 48 hours by the Taliban, millions of Afghan citizens faced serious disruptions in their daily lives, disruptions that severely affected everything from education and business to family relationships and people’s mental health.

This sudden action, which was implemented from the evening of September 29 to October 1, has once again raised serious questions about the Taliban’s approach toward fundamental freedoms and the basic needs of the people of Afghanistan.

Habib Naqeeb, one of the Afghan traders who had traveled to Iran for business deals, told Zan News that in the absence of internet and communication, he not only suffered a heavy financial loss but was also forced to send a letter to get news from his family, an action that seems unimaginable in today’s world. He said that during this short period, he experienced severe psychological stress and constant anxiety for his family.

Farshid Atefi, another major businessman in the country, spoke of a loss amounting to more than 250 million Afghanis in just these two days and emphasized that the internet shutdown has had disastrous economic consequences for thousands of domestic and foreign traders. He called for a transparent response from the Taliban to this communication crisis, which is further crippling the country’s fragile economy.

In the absence of the internet, thousands of school and university students were deprived of access to education, employees were unable to perform their duties, and people remained unaware of the health conditions of their relatives in different provinces. This nationwide shutdown temporarily turned Afghanistan into an isolated island, where people had access neither to information nor to their loved ones.

While the world is moving toward digital development, the Taliban, with the press of a button, are plunging the fate of 36 million people into complete darkness. This action is not only against the basic principles of human rights but also a clear sign of disregard for the economic and social future of Afghanistan.

Now, more than ever, the people of Afghanistan need pressure from the international community to put an end to this dangerous game with communications and freedoms.