KABUL, AFGHANSITAN – The Taliban have suspended the broadcasts of Rahe-e-Farda television, according to local sources in Kabul.
Sources told KabulNow newspaper that Taliban intelligence officials halted the station’s operations on Saturday. The move reportedly came after remarks by Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the Hezb-e Wahdat-e Islami Mardom-e Afghanistan (a predominantly Hazara political party formed in the 1980s, which has played a significant role in Afghanistan’s post-2001 political landscape), concerning recent clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistan.
According to the sources, the suspension was linked to Mohaqiq’s reaction to what he described as retaliatory Taliban attacks against Pakistan. He characterized the actions as “aggression and adventurism,” accusing the Taliban of dragging “our dear compatriots into an unwanted war and shedding their blood.”
“The continuation of this group’s adventurism is neither in the interest of Afghanistan nor its neighbors,” the statement said. It added that peaceful coexistence, respect for internal diversity, and good unneighborly relations were the only path to stability — principles that, according to Mohaqiq, cannot be achieved while hosting and financing armed groups.
Citing what he called recent international reports, Mohaqiq further alleged that the Taliban are hosting thousands of militants from neighboring countries and have even distributed Afghan identity documents to some of them. He warned that the continuation of what he termed a “terrorist-nurturing regime” in Kabul would harm both Afghanistan’s future and regional stability.
Rah-e-Farda TV was established 19 years ago in Kabul by Hezb-e Wahdat-e Islami Mardom-e Afghanistan under Mohaqiq’s leadership. However, sources say that since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Mohaqiq has not been directly involved in the station’s editorial management.
During this period, the outlet reportedly continued operating as a media organization in accordance with Taliban media policies, describing itself as functioning within the restrictions imposed by the authorities.
This is not the first time the Taliban have taken action against the broadcaster. Last year, they also suspended Rah-e-Farda’s activities, citing complaints from employees and the alleged non-payment of staff salaries.
The Taliban have not publicly commented on the latest suspension.
The suspension of Rah-e-Farda is not an isolated case. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban authorities have repeatedly imposed restrictions on media outlets across Afghanistan. Several television and radio stations have been temporarily shut down, journalists have been detained for critical reporting, and new regulations have significantly limited press freedom. Media organisations have reported increased censorship, pressure over editorial content, and bans on political programming deemed critical of the authorities. Rights groups say these measures reflect a broader pattern of curbing freedom of expression under Taliban rule.
Afghanistan now ranks 175th out of 180 countries on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, just above Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Eritrea. Over half of the country’s media outlets have closed. Many journalists have fled or gone into hiding. Women face even tighter restrictions, including a ban on broadcasting female voices in some provinces.
