RASC News Agency: Several civic activists in the province of Herat affirm a 15% reduction in the incidence of vehicle thefts, particularly motorcycles, in the region. Mokhtar Hakimi, a civic activist in Herat, relayed to a correspondent from RASC News on Wednesday, December 20th, that these figures denote a decline in vehicle thefts compared to preceding administrations, with numerous individuals apprehended in connection with this trend.
He expounds, “During the Republic period, armed thieves pillaged dozens of motorcycles and mobile phones within a span of 24 hours, and the government remained indifferent to this predicament.” Additionally, Hakimi notes that some thieves have met their demise at the hands of Taliban groups, while others have either faced apprehension or departed Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Mohammad Rasouli, a resident of Herat province, informs an RASC correspondent that the majority of armed robberies and vehicle thefts are fomented by unemployed and despondent youths participating in such activities. According to him, “Most vehicle thefts are executed by criminal groups with a criminal history, and for them, this conduct appears commonplace.”
Rasouli contends that senior Taliban officials must facilitate conducive job conditions to ameliorate this situation, ensuring that the future of society, as epitomized by these youths, can thrive economically. However, Saeed Rafiee, a religious scholar in Herat province, apprises RASC that property theft is an illegitimate act in which Muslims should not partake. He underscores that the economic circumstances are aberrant for all individuals, and Muslims should eschew inhumane and un-Islamic actions stemming from material concerns.
Directing his discourse towards those embroiled in theft, kidnapping, murder, and other criminal activities, Rafiee implores them to refrain from such deleterious actions, embrace the path of the Almighty, and seek solace in the benevolent guidance of the One Creator to unravel the complexities of their lives. It is noteworthy that recent reports indicate that the Taliban in western provinces of Afghanistan have identified and surrendered dozens of thieves and criminals to the legal system since the inception of the year.
It should be noted that Herat province, relative to other western provinces of the country, has harbored a greater number of criminals and is deemed more precarious. It is worth emphasizing that, in the central prison of Herat province alone, more than three thousand prisoners are reported to be in confinement. According to published reports, a significant proportion of these prisoners spend their days and nights beyond the confines of prison cells due to spatial inadequacies.
