Women with faces veiled behind heavy burqas, singing songs in subdued voices in Dari and Pashto, but without any demonstrable physical movements, often standing against a plain wall under dim light to hide their location — if you come across such videos on social media, chances are these will be vignettes of clandestine but scattered women's protests in Afghanistan's cities, rather than music videos or Instagram reels shot for social media renown.

Abandoned by the world, betrayed by their past rulers, Afghans are becoming increasingly innovative — and tech-savvy — under the most challenging conditions in a Talibanised Afghanistan, protesting against what they see as an unjustified clampdown on their fundamental rights by their new rulers.  

Ever since its return to power last year in August, the Taliban has rolled back what had been hard-earned social and gender progress of the last two decades. Women are barred from most jobs and in accessing meaningful education. The hardline Islamist group has also banned music and poetry— things, that have been an integral part of Afghan culture for centuries, now deemed "un-Islamic" by the Islamists.

“We are keeping our Kabul alive, at least virtually,” Habib Khan, an Afghan journalist, now in exile, tweeted, asking people to join him in a Twitter Space to listen to "live music from Afghan artists, enjoy Afghan poetry and Afghan talks".

As one of the most vocal critics of Islamabad’s Afghan policy, Habib calls the Taliban a “proxy” of Pakistan, occupying Afghanistan. For over six months, he has been running campaigns for #FreeAfghanistan and #SanctionPakistan.   

There are many such Twitter Spaces. Organized and moderated by Afghans, including by those who sympathize with the Taliban, the frequency of these programs seems to have grown significantly in the last few months.

As the scope for physical protests shrinks inside the country amid the Taliban’s violent crackdown, Afghans are increasingly taking to social media, organizing these discussions, attempting to counter the Taliban’s narrative and monopoly on Afghan culture. 

“Pakistan-backed Taliban are trying to take away Afghan culture—I’m thankful for everyone in the world keeping it alive during these dark days,” Mariam Solaimankhil, a former woman Afghan parliamentarian, now in exile, tweeted while quoting Habib’s Twitter Space.

Mariam was one of many Afghan MPs who were evacuated to New Delhi on 15 August 2021, the day the Taliban stormed into Kabul.

A few weeks ago, a video went viral on social media, showing a sobbing Afghan musician, surrounded by cheering Taliban fighters, as his musical instrument went up in flames. It captured—though in part—the tragic transformation - and social regression - the country has been going through since August last year.

Having tasted freedom— opportunities to study, work, explore, play sports and music— many in the country still feel it worth resisting the Taliban, even if it comes with a heavy cost sometimes. “If the world treats Kabul as dead, let us show them that she is still alive,” Zenat, an Afghan woman, tweeted while participating in one of the Twitter Spaces. 
(SAM)