Taliban officials have asked Uzbekistan to cancel concerts and musical programs at the joint border market in Termez. According to Atlas Press, Afghan citizens will not be allowed to enter this market if the programs continue.
The recently reopened Afghanistan-Uzbekistan joint border market in Termez stages music concerts with performances by Uzbek artists but according to the publication’s sources, the Taliban have now asked the Uzbek government to discontinue such programs. To date, neither the Taliban nor Uzbek officials have officially commented on the issue and it remains unclear as to whether Uzbekistan will respond positively to the Taliban’s request.
In an agreement between the Taliban and Uzbekistan, Afghan citizens can visit and trade in the international Termez market in the Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan for 15 days without a visa.
However, as stated in the report, “It seems that the Taliban are trying to implement their controversial laws outside of Afghanistan. This recently announced law, in addition to playing and listening to music, also imposes other severe restrictions on Afghan citizens, especially women, and has faced international condemnation.”
Previous protests issued by the Taliban include the detention of Afghan military aircraft in Uzbekistan.
