Taliban Leader Orders Arrest and Prosecution of Traffic Accident Offenders

DID Press: Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s leader, has ordered the Interior Ministry to arrest those responsible for traffic accidents on Afghanistan’s highways and refer them to the relevant courts without exception.

According to a five-article decree reportedly published by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Administrative Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has also been instructed to fully cooperate with the Interior Ministry in identifying and apprehending those responsible for traffic incidents and collecting relevant information and evidence.

The decree further instructs courts to prioritize traffic-accident cases and ensure the legal rights of the heirs of victims are protected.

Under the fifth article of the order, the directive takes effect from the date of issuance and is expected to be published in Afghanistan’s Official Gazette. The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice is responsible for publishing official laws and government documents through the Gazette.

Deadly traffic accidents remain a persistent problem on Afghanistan’s highways. Road safety has been affected by factors including dangerous driving, poor road conditions and inadequate enforcement, with thousands of traffic incidents reported across the country in recent years.