Cabbies defy music ban
‘At every checkpoint we pass, we lower the volume of the music or even turn it off completely.’
‘At every checkpoint we pass, we lower the volume of the music or even turn it off completely.’
KABUL, Afghanistan (AFP) — Taxi drivers in Afghanistan are turning on the tunes in their cars, defying a ban imposed by the Taliban government despite the fear of getting caught by morality police.
The music that used to flow constantly out of restaurants, cafes and shops in the capital Kabul has been muted for five years, replaced only by religious or patriotic songs supported by the Taliban authorities in power since 2021.
But taxi drivers such as Roeen have started playing Afghan and regional folk or pop music, which they quickly turn off when security forces may be around.
“At every checkpoint we pass, we lower the volume of the music or even turn it off completely... so I don’t get into trouble with them,” said Roeen, who gave only his first name for security reasons.
The ban on music in public places is imposed by the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV) Ministry, whose morality police roam the city wearing long white coats.
PVPV regulations state that “since music is forbidden and causes annoyance to passengers, drivers must refrain from playing or listening to it.”
The ministry did not respond when asked to comment on punishments Afghans face for playing music, but those breaching their various other rules risk being jailed.
Roeen said PVPV officials have “a lot of authority.”
“We’re definitely too afraid of them to be able to listen to music at a higher volume,” he told Agence France-Presse in his sky blue-and-white taxi.
Driving through the heavy traffic and noisy roads of Kabul, Roeen said he has “become 10 times more interested in music” since the ban.
“I have to make sure that even if I can’t listen in the early morning, by eight o’clock my music is on,” he said.
In a country where various forms of entertainment including cinema are outlawed, listening to music constantly is a “form of protest” for the 28-year-old driver.
Another taxi driver, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told AFP he only listens to music when he is alone in his car and surrounded by the noise of other vehicles.
“Before, whenever a person wanted, they could listen without any worry or stress. But now... personally I listen — but with some stress,” he said in his car that had a radio player with a USB slot.
