Maulawi Abdul Qahir

3. Biodata:

Maulawi Abdul Qahir is a prominent cleric in Balkh. He delivered a fiery sermon on Friday, 16 May 2025, at the Rawza Sharif Mosque, Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh Province, where he condemned the Taliban for promoting tribalism and ethnic discrimination.

He warned that such practices would lead to the downfall of any Islamic system. According to local sources, Taliban forces attempted to arrest Maulawi Qahir following the sermon but were met with resistance from worshippers, who chanted "Death to the Taliban" inside the mosque. Eyewitnesses told Afghanistan International that during the closing moments of the sermon, Maulawi Obaidullah, head of the Taliban’s Directorate for the Propagation of Virtue in Balkh, entered the mosque courtyard accompanied by armed special unit forces and three military vehicles. Tensions escalated as Taliban members confiscated recording devices and detained several attendees amid strong opposition from the congregation. Maulawi Qahir’s outspoken criticism of Taliban policies is not new. During the Taliban’s Loya Jirga, he openly condemned the group, stating: "Territory can be seized with suicide bombers and car bombs, but not people’s hearts."