RASC News Agency: The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has indefinitely suspended all Mosha’era cultural and literary poetry recitation events across Afghanistan, according to multiple reports. The decision, conveyed verbally to provincial offices, was reportedly prompted by recent criticism from participating poets and growing economic constraints. Over the past four years, the Taliban had organized Mosha’era events across various provinces, branding them as initiatives to promote cultural engagement and foster national unity. However, sources confirm that the suspension was triggered by a controversial incident during a recent episode of the “Narenj Gul” poetry gathering in Nangarhar, where poets criticized the Taliban’s supreme leader. Some participants called for the leader to publicly appear in Kabul and address the people.
Additionally, cultural activists in Parwan province confirmed that the Taliban canceled the “Gul-e Arghawan” poetry festival scheduled for earlier this week. While organizers were informally told the cancellation was due to poor weather conditions, local sources disputed the claim, stating that weather in the province was entirely suitable for the event. Under current Taliban restrictions, only poets and intellectuals aligned with the regime are permitted to participate in these cultural programs. Women are systematically barred from attending, and any poetry containing romantic or critical themes is strictly censored.
The abrupt cancellation of the events has drawn criticism even from some Taliban sympathizers on social media, who argue that such decisions further stifle what little remains of Afghanistan’s public cultural life. As of now, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has issued no official statement regarding the suspension.
