Fahima Noori had big dreams when she graduated from university in Afghanistan. She had studied law, graduated from a midwifery programme and even worked in a mental health clinic. But all that was taken away when the Taliban swept into power in 2021. They banned girls over the age of 12 from getting an education, severely restricted job options for women and recently removed books written by women from universities.
For Fahima, the internet was her last lifeline to the outside world. I recently enrolled in an online university [and] I had hoped to finish my studies and find an online job, she said. On Tuesday, that lifeline was cut off when the Taliban imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that is set to last indefinitely. Our last hope was online learning. Now [even] that dream has been destroyed, said Fahima.
'We all sit at home doing nothing'
Over the past few weeks, the Taliban government began severing fibre-optic internet connections across several provinces. For many, they feared this might be the first step towards an entire internet shutdown. And on Tuesday, their worst fears came true. The country is currently experiencing a total internet blackout according to internet watchdog Netblocks - a move that has paralyzed the country's essential services.
International news agencies report losing contact with offices in the capital Kabul, and mobile internet and satellite TV have also been severely disrupted across Afghanistan. Flights from Kabul airport have been affected by the blackout too.
Many of those interviewed expressed dismay. Shakiba, residing in Tahkar, said, Before this, I studied midwifery... the only hope left for us was the internet and online learning. After the internet was cut, the world felt dark to me. Fahima echoed her sentiments, revealing how her family of three sisters had been relying on online education, saying, now we all sit at home doing nothing. Since assuming control, the Taliban have proliferated restrictions guided by their interpretation of Sharia law.
Earlier this month, they removed books authored by women from the university curriculum as part of a ban which also outlawed the teaching of human rights. Around 140 titles were discarded, deemed of concern due to anti-Sharia and Taliban policies. Despite their claims of respecting women's rights according to Afghan culture, the reality reflects the opposite.
Fahima and others like her find their ambitions extinguished, with teachers like Zabi similarly affected. He had transitioned to online teaching after returning from Pakistan, having faced limited opportunities. Two days ago, about 45 of my students were in the middle of an exam when the internet was cut off. It was heartbreaking for them - and for me as their teacher, he lamented.
Others shared how the internet threatened livelihoods. Anas, a money changer from Takhar, expressed his despair over the situation affecting his daughters' education. The night before, we heard the Taliban had cut internet access, and my eldest daughter came to me with tears, saying she feared the same will happen here. Their last opportunity to study is now gone, he stated.
The Taliban have yet to provide an official explanation for the internet shutdown, promoting an alternative route for access without providing details. Meanwhile, the people of Afghanistan are left grappling with the consequences of this digital clampdown as their hopes for a better future continue to fade.
