Afghanistan is falling silent. The recent reality is that the screens are going black, phones are not ringing, and internet cafés are shuttered. The fibre optics network is wholly controlled, mobile phone shutdown is rampant, and later on, mobile internet (3G, 4G) is reported to be turned off; the connectivity is reduced to less than one per cent, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks. This silence stems from the fear of connectivity with the outer world, masked as moral policing. The nationwide connectivity shutdown was marked on the orders of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on 29th September, 2025.
Further, before it was observed, the Wi-Fi services were already unavailable in certain provinces of the country: Kunduz, Balkh, etc., due to the ban imposed by the government. It is significant to note that the blackout is escalating and is maintained till further notice.
But this is not just about cables and signals; it is more about people and their lives.
Moreover, people are deprived of the ability to connect and the outside world; it is more like a control of narrative and restricting access to information, which is a basic right of citizens. Additionally, when questioned, the government previously justified the connectivity collapse as a means of maintaining "morality," but now the Taliban denies intentionally banning services, claiming instead that cables are being replaced. If closely scrutinised, the morality vs immorality and intentionally vs unintentionally debate has cost the public dearly.
When moral policing accelerates, it shrinks freedom, takes a psychological toll, brews resistance, and ultimately smothers society.
People are the hardest hit by the policy of Kabul’s leaders, and the women and girls relying on online classes are the hardest hit, along with the businesses, students, families, and even journalists. It is to highlight here that women's education is already in tatters inside the state, the domestic policies they go through are inhumane in nature, and the recent blackout has the potential to worsen the crisis. In a time where globalisation is unbridled, cutting off the connections is not a sane act; it damages the economy of the country and blots the image internationally.
The silence imposed on Afghanistan is not only digital but also political, social, and economic, and the world must not look away at any cost
The political administrations try to fulfil their political interests, and something similar is evident in Kabul.
Moving ahead, such widespread suffering is not accidental; it contains a bulk of intentions. It appears that the Taliban are so eager to maintain and retain control over everything. The control of information is tantamount to the consolidation of power, which they desire the most.
As the Taliban are silencing the voices, it is contributing to extending their power to a perpetual period; the tighter their grip gets over the public, the longer their rule. Additionally, the clash between Kandahar hardliners with ultra-conservative hardliners and Kabul pragmatists, who are focused on running the state not as a movement, is an evident fault line inside Kabul. These domestic tensions are leading towards several drastic policy designs that are giving unsettled frameworks for a state to run. The implications it all leaves are tough to swallow, and the blackout isolates Afghanistan both at home and abroad.
The domestic political crisis often leads to hindrances at the global level, unrestrained and hard to get to grips with.
The digital blackout affects international aid and monitoring inside Kabul; it provokes anger among the powers of the world as well as the international community. Meanwhile, China has deepened its relations with Kabul lately through the Belt and Road Initiative; it has positioned itself as one of the few players maintaining leverage over Kabul. It might be a helping hand. Coming to a point, Afghanistan’s actions go against the international standards; already, the country has refused to accept a handful of international norms that have put it in difficult positions, and one more step has been taken that can put the state on a list of pariah countries.
Additionally, the blackout does not appear to be only about morality but more about fears: fear of information, knowledge, education of women, and fear of connecting Afghanistan to a global order. When states are connected, they share voices, follow global standards, and reshape to fit in the society; Afghanistan seems to be off this road for the rest of its existence. The global connection provides the confidence to move into the arena, boosts the economy, and stabilises the country’s politics, and all of this seems to be lacking in Kabul due to the strenuous policies the leaders have opted for over time and the chains they have put on the people. Likewise, the international world has, from time to time, warned the country of its rigidity, but the hardliners have never appeared to be taking any notice and stepping back from their belligerent designs.
Moreover, China, as it has developed relations with Afghanistan, discussed above, in the shape of extending its BRI, can extend support to normalise what is untenable. Diplomatically, Beijing has long been involved in resolving deep crises; perhaps it can be of help to bring humanity to Kabul and avert the difficulties the people there are going through.
Lastly, the silence imposed on Afghanistan is not only digital but also political, social, and economic, and the world must not look away at any cost. Unmasking the further machinations of the Taliban regime and diplomatically tackling them is a must to untie the current scenario. It is also seminal to preclude Kabul from sliding into complete seclusion, and restoring humanity remains a sine qua non