**Afghanistan's Political Landscape: A Multi-Party System**

Afghanistan has had a tumultuous political history, with frequent coups, civil wars, and violent transfers of power. The country has been governed by various systems, including a monarchy, republic, theocracy, dictatorship, and pro-communist state.

The development of mature political parties in Afghanistan was a relatively recent phenomenon, emerging in the 1960s during the constitutional reforms of King Zahir Shah. By the mid-1970s, three types of political parties had emerged, representing the sentiments of a small educated class. These included socialist-nationalist parties, socialist parties, and Islamic parties.

However, with the Taliban takeover in 2021, the political landscape changed drastically. The Taliban implemented a strict interpretation of Sharia law and banned all other political parties, enforcing an authoritarian state. As of now, there are no active political parties in Afghanistan, and the country is ruled by the Taliban unopposed.

Political parties in Afghanistan are banned under the current Taliban government

Afghanistan has been unstable for decades, with frequent coups, civil wars, and violent transfers of power. The Taliban, a hard-line Islamist group, seized power in 2021 and established a totalitarian theocratic government.

Under the Taliban government, political parties are banned in Afghanistan. This ban was formalised in August 2023, when the Taliban government, led by Acting Justice Minister Abdul Hakim Haqqani, issued a decree prohibiting all political parties in the country. The Taliban's de facto justice minister, Abdul Hakim Sharaee, stated that there is no justification for political parties under Sharia law and that they are not in the country's best interest.

Previously, under the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the country had a multi-party system with numerous political parties. However, with the Taliban's rise to power, this system was dismantled, and all political parties were outlawed. The Taliban's ban on political parties is part of a broader crackdown on dissent and a monopolisation of power, with all major government leadership posts being held by Taliban leaders.

The Taliban's decision to ban political parties has been met with criticism and concern. Political experts have expressed worry about the lack of pluralism and the suppression of any future political opposition. Additionally, the ban is expected to complicate reconciliation efforts among Afghans seeking to initiate a dialogue between various political factions. The international community has supported such dialogue, aiming to eventually form a broad-based government in Afghanistan.

The Taliban's ban on political parties is just one aspect of their restrictive governance. The group has also severely curtailed basic freedoms, including banning women and girls from schools and outlawing music. They have also targeted journalists and activists, with scores of individuals being jailed since the Taliban's takeover.

Prior to the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan had a multi-party system with numerous political parties

The early political societies in Afghanistan were largely influenced by tribal, regional, religious, or ethnic identities. The Young Afghan Party, centred around Mahmud Tarzi, was one of the first such societies, formed in 1911. The country witnessed the emergence of various political parties throughout the 20th century, including the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), the National Revolutionary Party of Afghanistan, and the Democratic Watan Party of Afghanistan.

By the mid-1970s, three distinct types of political parties had emerged, representing the interests of a relatively small educated class. These included parties based on the European socialist-nationalist model, such as the Social Democratic Society (Afghan Millat) and the Progressive Democratic Party. Socialist parties, like the PDPA, with its pro-Soviet and Marxist-Leninist ideology, also gained prominence.

Islamic parties arose in the late 1960s, partly as a reaction to the increasing secularisation of Afghan society and its growing ties with the Soviet Union. These parties were of two types: those led by traditional religious scholars (ulama) and those advocating a more radical and fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. The Islamic Youth movement, established in 1970, was particularly influential, winning the student elections at Kabul University in 1971.

Afghanistan's political landscape underwent significant changes following the Taliban's seizure of power in 1996 and the subsequent US-led invasion in 2001. The Taliban's rule was marked by their strict interpretation of Sharia law and the suppression of dissent. After their removal from power, efforts were made to establish a democratic and pluralistic political party system. However, these attempts faced challenges due to popular dissatisfaction with the slow progress in economic reconstruction, corruption, and insecurity.

Prior to the Taliban's return to power in 2021, the Ministry of Justice had licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019. This period witnessed the emergence of many small democratic parties, particularly after the Taliban's initial rule, offering a break from the past and a path towards a stable and democratic parliament. Despite this progress, Afghanistan's political environment remained fragile, and the country was ranked as one of the least electorally democratic nations in the world.

Political parties in Afghanistan emerged in the 1960s, growing under the reforms of King Zahir Shah

Afghanistan's political parties emerged in the 1960s, growing under the reforms of King Zahir Shah. King Zahir Shah, who ruled Afghanistan from 1933 until he was deposed in 1973, played a crucial role in the development of the country's political landscape.

During the early years of his reign, Zahir Shah remained in the background while his relatives ran the government. However, he began to assert his power in the 1960s, introducing a series of reforms that paved the way for the growth of political parties. One of the key reforms was the liberalization of press laws in 1964, which allowed for greater freedom of expression and enabled political ideas to be more easily disseminated.

By the mid-1970s, three types of political parties had emerged in Afghanistan, each representing the interests of a relatively small educated class. The first type was based on the European socialist-nationalist model and included parties such as the Afghan Millat, led by Ghulam Mohammad Farhad, and the Progressive Democratic Party, founded by the popular prime minister, Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal. These parties advocated for evolutionary socialism and parliamentary democracy but had ceased to play a major role in Afghan politics by the 1980s.

Socialist parties also emerged in the mid-1960s, with the most prominent being the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), founded in 1965 by Babrak Karmal, Hafizullah Amin, and Mohammad Taraki. The PDPA had a Marxist-Leninist ideology and was pro-Soviet. In 1967, it split into two factions: the Khalq (People's) faction and the Parcham (Banner) faction. In 1978, the factions temporarily united, and the PDPA led a successful coup, ruling Afghanistan until 1992.

In addition to the socialist and nationalist parties, Islamic parties also appeared in Afghanistan in the late 1960s. This was partly in reaction to the increased secularization of Afghan society and the government's growing friendship with the Soviet Union. The Islamic parties were of two types: those led by traditional religious scholars (ulama) and those advocating a new and more radical form of Islam. The latter emerged on the campus of Kabul University, where professors had studied at al-Azhar University in Cairo and established contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood. In 1970, they founded the Javanan-e Muslimin (Islamic Youth) movement, which won the university student elections that year, marking a shift away from leftist control.

While King Zahir Shah's reforms played a significant role in the emergence and growth of political parties in Afghanistan, other factors also contributed to the political landscape. Strong ties to tribal, regional, religious, and ethnic identities, as well as the lack of class awareness, had previously limited the formation of political parties. However, with the liberalizing reforms of the 1960s and the increasing influence of foreign powers during the Cold War, the conditions became more favourable for the development of a multi-party system.

The Taliban's interpretation of Sharia law has resulted in a strict authoritarian regime

Afghanistan's politics have been characterised by instability, with frequent coups, civil wars, and violent transfers of power. The country has been governed by various systems, including a monarchy, republic, theocracy, dictatorship, and a pro-communist state.

The Taliban movement took over the government by force in 2021, ruling the country unopposed and implementing a stricter interpretation of Sharia law. This interpretation has resulted in a strict authoritarian regime, as evidenced by the following:

The Taliban's interpretation of Sharia law, derived from the Deobandi strand of Hanafi jurisprudence, has been described as classical and orthodox. It is influenced by the group's lived experience as a predominantly rural and tribal society. Their interpretation has resulted in a strict authoritarian regime, as seen in their enforcement of public executions, amputations, and flogging as punishments for various offences.

The Taliban's regime has been characterised by the exclusion of women from public spaces and the restriction of their rights. Women have been banned from entering amusement parks and their access to public parks has been limited. They are also required to adhere to strict dress codes and need a male guardian for long-distance travel.

The Taliban has banned most forms of music and musical instruments as un-Islamic. They have also banned television and cinema, and implemented strict controls over media and art, prohibiting any depiction of people or other living things.

The Taliban's interpretation of Sharia law has led to the restriction of freedoms and rights for Afghans. They have clamped down on rights and freedoms, with nearly half the country facing acute hunger and a deterioration of human rights.

The Taliban rules by decree, and their leaders, judges, and fighters decide how to apply the law on the spot based on their interpretation of Sharia. This has resulted in an unpredictable and inconsistent application of the law, with variations depending on local ethnic groups, the Taliban presence, and the authorities' desire to avoid antagonising the population.

The Taliban's rise to power was facilitated by support from elements within the Pakistani government

Afghanistan has a long history of political instability, with frequent coups, civil wars, and violent transfers of power. The country has been governed by various systems, including a monarchy, republic, theocracy, dictatorship, and a pro-communist state.

The Taliban, a hardline Islamist group, seized control of Afghanistan in 2021, two decades after being removed from power by a US-led military coalition. The Taliban's rise to power was facilitated by support from elements within the Pakistani government.

The Taliban first emerged in the early 1990s in northern Pakistan following the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The group was predominantly Pashtun and drew its initial support from religious seminaries (madrassas) in Pakistan, which preached a hardline form of Sunni Islam. The Taliban's early popularity was due to their success in stamping out corruption, curbing lawlessness, and making the areas under their control safe for commerce.

Pakistan's support for the Taliban has included soliciting funding, bankrolling operations, providing diplomatic support, arranging training for fighters, recruiting manpower, planning and directing offensives, and facilitating shipments of ammunition and fuel. Pakistan's notoriously porous border with Afghanistan has facilitated the transshipment of men and materiel.

In addition, private actors in Pakistan have contributed to the Taliban's rise by purchasing munitions and spare parts from Chinese manufacturers and dealers in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and then importing them into Afghanistan for resale to the Taliban.

The Taliban's relationship with Pakistan has been complex and multi-faceted. Pakistan has sought to use the Taliban as a valuable strategic asset in its anti-India policies and to exert influence in Afghanistan. However, with the Taliban now in control of Afghanistan, the dynamics between the two have shifted. The Taliban's military victory has inspired those seeking to impose Sharia law in Pakistan, and Islamist and jihadist forces are now pressuring the Pakistani government to assert the country's Islamic character.

The Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan has also emboldened the Pakistani Taliban or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group that has launched attacks within Pakistan. The alliance between the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban poses a significant threat to Pakistan's security and stability.

Despite Pakistan's efforts to smooth over tensions and maintain its influence, the Taliban's independence and their unwillingness to act against the TTP have strained the relationship between the two. Pakistan's unpopularity in Afghanistan and the Taliban's desire to avoid being seen as Islamabad's puppet have further complicated their dynamic.

In conclusion, the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan was facilitated by support from elements within the Pakistani government and other private actors. However, the dynamics between the two have evolved as the Taliban consolidated their control, and the relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban remains complex and fraught with challenges.

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