RASC News Agency: In a case that starkly exposes the Taliban’s internal moral decay and institutional duplicity, local sources in Faryab province have confirmed the arrest of a prominent Taliban commander on charges of engaging in an illicit relationship with a 16-year-old girl. Taliban authorities have reluctantly acknowledged the arrest, identifying the accused as Abdul Wahab Muzamel, the Taliban-appointed head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) liaison office in Faryab. Far from being a symbol of order or governance, Mazmal’s position has now come to epitomize the rot and impunity within Taliban ranks.
Reports indicate that Muzamel, originally from Charbolak district of Balkh province, traveled to Hotel Nazar Gah in Maimana, the provincial capital, to meet the minor girl, who resides in Chemtal district. The relationship, according to sources, had been ongoing for nearly two years, pointing not only to predatory behavior but also to a systematic failure of oversight. The case has now been transferred to Faryab’s Department of Criminal Investigations, where documents and testimonies are under review. Despite the gravity of the accusations, Taliban officials have so far withheld critical information from the public and have shown no clear intention of pursuing transparent legal proceedings.
This incident adds to a growing list of abuses committed by Taliban officials, contradicting the group’s carefully constructed image as guardians of Islamic morality. The regime’s frequent invocation of Sharia law to punish ordinary citizens especially women and ethnic minorities is exposed as deeply hypocritical when senior commanders face little to no accountability for far more egregious offenses. For an entity that routinely flogs women for appearing in public without a male escort, its silence in the face of such a serious allegation against one of its own top officials is both revealing and damning. “This is not an isolated case it is emblematic of a broader culture of unchecked power and moral corruption within the Taliban,” said a Kabul-based legal analyst. “The regime is built on fear, not justice.”
It remains unclear whether Muzamel will face real legal consequences or whether the case will be silenced through internal negotiation a common practice under Taliban rule, where personal loyalty often supersedes judicial process. The Taliban’s so-called judicial system, lacking transparency and independent oversight, remains deeply compromised and incapable of delivering justice in cases involving its own members. Observers and rights groups have warned that the Taliban’s internal hierarchy protects its elite from scrutiny, even as the group brutally punishes civilians for minor infractions. Cases like this expose a dangerous double standard that fuels further mistrust and alienation among the population.
Civil society actors and media organizations are calling for immediate, transparent legal action and are urging the international community, particularly UNAMA and human rights watchdogs, to demand accountability from a regime that continues to receive global attention despite its deep-seated abuses. “This is precisely why Taliban rule cannot be normalized or legitimized,” said a women’s rights advocate from Balkh. “The group thrives on selective morality, brutality, and cover-ups. There can be no real justice under their watch.” As the investigation unfolds, many Afghanistanis remain skeptical that any form of justice will be delivered in this case. For now, the incident stands as a grim reminder that under Taliban rule, power protects the perpetrators not the people.
