Taliban Leader Reaffirms ‘Vice and Virtue’ Law as Top Priority

DID Press: Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada has reaffirmed that enforcing the group’s Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice remains the Taliban government’s highest priority, describing its implementation as one of the movement’s principal objectives.

According to the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Akhundzada made the remarks during a meeting in Kandahar attended by local officials, religious scholars, and tribal elders from five southern provinces.

The ministry said the gathering focused on reviewing the implementation of the law and expanding its enforcement across Taliban administrative institutions.

During his address, Akhundzada described enforcement of the law as one of the Taliban government’s most important responsibilities, stating that one of the movement’s key objectives during its insurgency was to implement the principles of promoting virtue and preventing vice. He also called on religious scholars, government officials, and tribal elders to play a leading role in what he described as reforming society through the application of Islamic principles.

Akhundzada’s public speeches have generally focused on religious doctrine, Islamic law, and ideological issues, with comparatively little emphasis on Afghanistan’s economic challenges, unemployment, humanitarian conditions, or broader social concerns.

Analysts say the Taliban leadership’s continued emphasis on strict enforcement of the morality law, while Afghanistan faces widespread economic hardship, poverty, and pressure on public services, highlights the group’s enduring focus on ideological priorities. They argue that this approach risks widening the gap between the population’s immediate needs and the Taliban’s governing agenda.