KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has issued a document stating that, following the appointment of Salman Akhlaqi as the license holder and Abdulrahman Mirzad as the director, a new license has been granted to Rah-e Farda Radio and Television to resume its broadcasts “in accordance with the principles of the Islamic Emirate.”
According to the document, a copy of which was published yesterday (Sunday, June 21) on the official Facebook page of Rah-e Farda Radio and Television, the broadcasting license of the outlet has been transferred from Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan, to the two newly appointed individuals.
In the last month of the previous solar year, the Taliban suspended the broadcasts of Rah-e Farda Radio and Television and confiscated Mohaqiq’s assets. 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.”
At the time, Khabib Ghafran, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, said that “the decision to suspend Rah-e Farda Television’s broadcasts and confiscate Mohammad Mohaqiq’s properties was made because he had justified the bombing of Afghan civilians by Pakistan’s military regime and had condemned the retaliatory attacks of the Islamic Emirate (the Taliban).”
He further claimed that Mohammad Mohaqiq was attempting to undermine national unity through what he described as baseless remarks made in line with the interests of the Taliban’s opponents. Ghafran said the decision to suspend the outlet and confiscate Mohaqiq’s assets was taken in response to public demands and was considered necessary by the authorities.
The Taliban had also suspended the activities of the television channel and revoked its license in the second month of the previous solar year.
At that time, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture stated that the outlet’s operations had been suspended due to complaints from employees regarding unpaid salaries.
In a statement published today, Rah-e Farda Television said that its current broadcasts will focus on covering Muharram ceremonies and that it will resume its regular programming after Muharram.
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.
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.
