Taliban bar government employees without beards from work

Afghanistan'sTalibanhas instructed allgovernmentemployeesto wear a beard and adhere to a dress code or risk being fired, threesourcestold Reuters, the latest of several new restrictions imposed by the hardline Islamist administration.

Thesourcessaid representativesfromthe Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice were patrolling the entrances togovernmentoffices on Monday to check thatemployeeswere in compliance with the new rules.

Employeeswere being instructed not to shave theirbeardsand to wear local clothing consisting of a long, loose top and trousers, and a hat or turban. They were also told to ensure they prayed at the correct times, two of thesourcessaid.

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Workers were told they wouldfromnow on be unable to enter offices and would eventually be fired if they did not meet the dress codes, thesourcessaid.

A spokesman for the public morality ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Last week, theTalibanbanned womenfromtaking flightswithouta male chaperone and failed to open girls' schools as promised.

On Sunday it ordered parks to be segregated by sex, with women allowed to enter three days a week, and men the other four days, including the weekend, meaning even married couples and families cannot visit together.

TheTalibanadministration has drawn criticism at home andfromWesterngovernments for forcing its hardline interpretation of Islamic law onto all Afghans.

TheTalibansay they will respect everyone's rights in line with Islamic law and Afghan customs and that they have changed since their 1996-2001 rule, when they barred womenfromleaving the housewithouta male relative and forced men to growbeards.

Wednesday's u-turn on girls' schools led to protestsfromthe international community, including the United States, which pulled out of planned meetings withTalibanofficials in Qatar to discuss key economic issues.

TheTalibanneeds Western countries to lift sanctions that are crippling the Afghan economy.

Watch |Taliban reverses decision to allow girls to attend secondary schools in Afghanistan