Afghanistan’s hard-line Islamist Taliban rulers have banned all political parties, saying there is "no justification" for them under Shari'a law

“Political parties are banned completely, we will not permit any political party to operate in the country,” Abdul Hakim Sharaee, the Taliban's de facto justice minister, said during a news conference on August 16, one day after the Taliban marked two years of rule since international troops withdrew from the country

“Political parties have no justification in Islamic Shari’a law and they are not in the best interest of our nation,” he added, claiming political parties have been the main factor causing turmoil in Afghanistan for decades

The ban is the latest Taliban restriction on political activities after dozens of political parties were registered after the militants were ousted in 2001 from their previous stint as rulers

Since returning to power in 20221, the ultraconservative militants have monopolized power by giving all major government leadership posts to Taliban leaders while muzzling the press and abolishing democratic institutions