KABUL: Neckties worn by men were a sign of the Christian cross, a senior Afghan Taliban official said on Wednesday, adding they should be eliminated.

“Sometimes, when I go to hospitals and other areas, an Afghan Muslim engineer or doctor uses a necktie,” said Mohammad Hashim Shaheed Wror, head of the Invitation and Guidance Directorate, a department that seeks to guide people along proper Islamic lines.

He said in a speech broadcast by Tolo TV that the symbolism of the tie “is obvious in Islam”.

“What is a tie? It is the cross. It is ordered in Sharia that you should break it and eliminate it,” he said.

Taliban authorities have not imposed any dress rules on men since taking over in August 2021, but women must cover up with a hijab when out in public. Afghan Taliban officials almost all dress the same — shalwar kameez, a waistcoat, and turban.

Casual Western clothes became less common after the Taliban takeover but some professionals still don a collar and tie.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2023