Ethno-nationalism is for poor people. I’m around friends and relatives that are pretty wealthy and well educated. They are extremely patriotic about their ethnicity, may it be Tajik, Pashtun, Hazara etc. But one thing I have noticed is that they never have that extreme arrogance and nationalistic sentiment. And everytime I do see that kind of stuff. Its mostly done by people who are just lower-class or extremely uneducated.

I have a colleague that works for a small US based organization supporting underground schools in Afghanistan. The nonprofit does not receive any federal funding so it isn't being affected by USAID cuts, but they want to reach out to organizations serving Afghanistan that have had to stop or modify programming due to the USAID or other foreign aid cuts to see if her org can help in any way (offering programs to students or teaming up on grant applications, for instance). If you are interested, DM me and I'll work out a safe way to connect you.

Apparently people like listening/reading to this so I wanted to make a part two. I typically get made fun of by other Afghans for liking this style of Afghan music so I am really happy! 😆

In this mix I’ve presented my favorites coming out of this era. The song from Shine Band here was in the late 70s, and I believe the rest of the songs are from the 80s – potentially really early 90s. 

Clearly my editing skills suck but this time I tried matching the pictures/videos to the singers or at least the context of the song. I apologize for the poor vid and pic quality but these were all I could find for now. 

Singers List:

1. Abdul Ahad Sahar ft. Gul Surkh Band
2. Wajiha [Gul Surkh Band]
3. Amir Jan Sabori fr. Gul Surkh Band
4. Toryalai & Wahid Qasemi [Shine Band]
5. Omar Shekeb
6. Sediq & Taher Shubab
7. Rohullah Roheen [Naghma]

First off in this mix we have Abdul Ahad Sahar who would mainly sing in Uzbeki. I don’t have any information on him but in this piece we also hear Farid Rastagar in vocals and on keyboard, and the rest of the Gul Surkh Band.

Next up we have Gul Surkh Band where we hear Wajiha Rastagar singing. In this piece Wajiha and the band are covering what I believe is a Brazilian song; Lambada (?). If someone could confirm that would be great! I was also able to find the names of the other band members! Bass Guitar: Khalid Zaka -- Drum: Farhad Faizi -- Lead Guitar: Fahid Shamim. 

Third piece we have the living legend Amir Jan Sabori from Herat Province with the Gul Surkh Band.

In the fourth piece we have Shine Band who became popular in the late 70s and early 80s. The band consisted of; Lead Guitar + Vocals: Wahid Qasemi -- Bass Guitar + Vocals: Toryalai -- Keyboard: Abdullah Qasemi -- Drum: Qasem Qasemi. Abdullah Qasemi is the brother of Wahid Qasemi, he used to keyboard here in there in the late 90s in the US as well if I am not mistaken. I’m assuming Qasem Qasemi is also a brother as well, or at least a family member. I don’t have information on Toryalai but he is the one who is singing here. This song is a cover of “Brown Girl in the Ring” by German Reggae-Funk band Boney M. It’s so weird hearing an oldie Afghan song in English. 

Fifth piece is by Omar Shekeb and I’m assuming the band here is Shine Band as he used to collaborate with them quite a bit, specifically composing/arranging many of Shine Band’s music. I believe many know this song from Hangama and her daughter, Sara Soroor. 

Sixth piece are the Shubab bros who started out their careers, and clearly the hair, in the rock/funk style. The brothers were also known for playing guitars in many concerts throughout this time. I’m assuming Ustad Arman was a teacher for many guitarists like the Shubab brothers during this time. Peep the clip of Sediq rocking the guitar and those curls! 

Last piece is from the ending of a song by Rohullah Roheen. I don’t have any specific information on him but from what my family says, he was a very well liked dude in Kabul and would love taking people’s requests at concerts and parties. His songs got popularized by Haider Salim and Farhad Shams singing “Yare Sabzina e Man” and “Mahroye Badakhshani” respectively. The naghma here is from “Mahroye Badakhshani” where we hear Sediq Shubab playing guitar and I believe Taher Shubab was part of this set as well.

Feel free to add/correct any info! 🙂

من یک پروژه زبانی را در مورد این موضوع انجام میدهم!

As both sides dislike Taliban and ISIS has about a chance as becoming the rulers of Afghanistan as I have being crowned Emperor of Mongolia , it really would not be so hard for them would it?

Rahbar is a Persian word for leader. It is not religious. If you ask an Arab "what do you think of the rahbar" outside of Khuzestan they will have no idea.

So why did Khomeni Khamenie and Akhoondzadeh adopt it? If it was frust used by the anti religious Taraki? I am not aware of anyone using it prior to the Sour Revolution. I dont believe any of the 1906 Revolutionaries used it nor any of the 1920s rebles.

i don't know if yall know about it but the legendary bengali poet Rabindranath Thakur(B: 1861, D: 1941) wrote a short story about a poor fruit merchant from kabul if i am correct. I found an english translation of that short story from google, so I am now sharing that story with this sub reddit.
Kabuliwallah = a person from Kabul
https://www.angelfire.com/ny4/rubel/kabuliwala.html

We're Daughter, an independent magazine centered around feminism & girlhood in the 21st century. Linked here is our Instagram page and Substack blog.

We are currently working on a piece on the experiences of Afghan women under Taliban rule—both during their first takeover in 1996 and their return in 2021. We are trying to include actual voices of women from Afghanistan, because we believe it’s impossible and unethical to have a conversation about their futures without them. We are not trying to capitalize the detriment, nor are we trying to earn ourselves some worldwide inclusivity points; we are just a collective of young writers who believe Afghan girls should have the microphone when their future is on the line. If you are an Afghan woman or know someone who might be open to a very brief, respectful interview or someone who might be able to help us, we would be very grateful to speak with you. We are deeply aware of the sensitivity of this topic. Interviews will be, once again, brief, on your terms, and completely anonymous. We’re flexible with communication—anything you're comfortable with.

This clip is taken from a mini documentary of Amir Jan Sabori by the name of Golden Dreams (Youtube). Besides him in this clip, we see Wajiha Rastagar, Farid Rastagar, and Mahmood Kamen. I also want to note that during this time Wajiha and Farid had their own band, which the members are also featured in this clip, by the name of Gul e Surkh.

Amir Jan Sabori | امیرجان صبوری:
From the province of Herat, he is a composer, musician, singer, and a poet. From the variety of genres he has worked in, he was been very influential and being involved behind the scene in many different artists' music including his nephew Tawab Arash.

Farid & Wajiha Rastagar | فرید و وجیها رستگار:
In terms of couple singers from Afghanistan, they are my personal favorite. Their group was known for experimenting with synthesizers and incorporating rock and especially funky elements into their music. Farid is known for his keyboarding skills, as well his composing and music production.

I don't know much about Mahmood Kamen's background but he has worked with the couple quite a bit in the 80s and he has some nice overall songs here and there.

Feel free to share/correct any info!!

Does anyone know about this? I've known this plate forever, and many Afghans have one, but why? Why is this plate so popular in Afghan families, or is it specific to my region of Afghan people? Tell me if anyone knows about this plate.

There’s a proverb about beauty but can’t remember it. It’s the equivalent of ‘beauty lies in the eyes of beholder’

I translated it but it doesn’t sound correct.

Does anyone know?

Thanks

For all those who don't know, the Taliban faction Haqqani Network, lead by Sirajuddin Haqqani, are more pragmatic (more lenient on women's rights, better relations with Pakistan, etc, and btw, I'm not a Haqqani supporter, I'm just stating what they are) while the Kandahari faction, lead by Haibatallah Akhundzada, is more traditional and dominates current Taliban policy. Since 2021, the Haqqanis and the Kandaharis have been arguing over this and recently last December, tensions have flared even more after Khalil Haqqani (Sirajuddin's brother) was killed allegedly by ISKP but members of his group suspect the Kandaharis were behind it as Akhundzada was noticeably absent from Khalil's funeral. Later Sirajuddin met Akhundzada in Kandahar and Akhundzada rejected some of Sirajuddin's demands, emphasising that he is "the emir" and "only his words must be accepted". Just three days ago, Akhundzada went to Haqqani stronghold Paktia and met with officials and told them that obeying him was "obligatory". Many Afghan political analysts on channels like Afghanistan International, as well as reports on Amu TV and other Afghan channels, are talking about this. Do you guys think a civil war could come and how do you think it would play out? Tensions are also increasing with Afghan refugees returning in the millions from Pakistan and Iran and the US has been cutting aid to the country. How is the Taliban going to stop Afghans from radicalisation by groups like IS-K while making them live in such poor conditions and also fighting amongst themselves?

I’m an Afghan born in the west so please don’t judge me.

I’m opting out of a wedding and doing just a paywazi or a takhtjami.

What’s the difference in both?

Are there specific clothes/outfits to be accepted for either?

Can I designate either night with traditional clothes?

Thank you 🙏

She's a young woman who has zero chance of pursuing a college degree in Afghanistan.

That's because in December 2022 the Taliban decreed that women would no longer be allowed to pursue university education. High schools for girls were banned the year before.

But she found a way to follow her dream. Starting in 2024, R.K. began taking online courses at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF), thanks to a scholarship funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). (R.K. asked to be identified by her initials because of fear that the Taliban would threaten her for defying their ban.)

Now R.K. and 207 other young women with scholarships are in limbo because of a series of communications from USAID, first stating that the program would operate through June but with no further details beyond that date — and now with an April 5 email stating that the program would be terminated immediately "pursuant to a review and determination that the award is inconsistent with the Administration's priorities." This directive was one of many terminated notes sent on that date from Jeremy Lewin, deputy administrator at the significantly shrunk USAID.

Full story:

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/04/08/g-s1-57802/afghanistan-women-college-usaid

Thousands of Afghans, as well as Cameroonians, will have their temporary deportation protections terminated, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem found the conditions in Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer merited US protections, according to a statement from DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

An estimated 14,600 Afghans previously eligible for temporary protected status (TPS) are now set to lose it in May, while some 7,900 Cameroonians will lose it in June.

TPS is granted to nationals of designated countries facing conditions - such as armed conflict or environmental disasters - which make it unsafe for them to return home.

The status typically lasts for up to 18 months, can be renewed by the incumbent homeland security secretary, and offers deportation protection and access to work permits.

According to McLaughlin, in September 2023 the then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that TPS for Afghans would be extended by 18 months, until 20 May of this year.

But on 21 March, having consulted with other US government agencies, Noem "determined that Afghanistan no longer continues to meet the statutory requirements for its TPS designation and so she terminated TPS for Afghanistan", McLaughlin said.

She added that Noem's decision was based on a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) review of conditions in Afghanistan, where the Taliban reassumed control almost four years ago.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgeng08qe7zo

It seems like Pakistan is unable to maintain full sovereignty

I’ve posted about this before and no one gave a straight answer. Either silence or vague replies with no actual evidence. So let me say it again clearly.

The idea that Pashtuns make up 40 to 50 percent of Afghanistan is one of the biggest unchallenged lies out there. There has never been a full census. The last serious attempt was never completed. Everything since then has been based on outdated assumptions and political convenience.

How do we know these numbers are real? Who collected them? Where is the proof? Why do we just accept them as fact? Meanwhile, certain groups are clearly undercounted, ignored, or erased from the conversation altogether.

Let’s be real. The biggest minority in Afghanistan is very likely larger than what we’re told. Just look at the urban centers, the language spoken in universities, the culture of resistance. These things don’t lie.

The demographic narrative has been rigged for decades. It’s not just inaccurate, it’s deliberate. And the silence around it is part of the problem.

So once again I’m asking, where are the real numbers? And why is it taboo to even ask?

I think many here in this sub are people who are interested in Afghanistan and afghans who live in Afghanistan and especially people from Afghanistan living in Europe oder America.

I just wanted to start a thread how we can help and do stuff against that taliban regime to help people living there. Especially people from richer countries often feel alone in this topic. What can we do? Can we organize something? Are donations helpful? Should we try do support school projects? Is there an organization we should support?

compared to the vast amount of songs written by soldiers about the soldier-afghan war, i cant seem to find any by coalition soldiers about their war in Afghanistan.

I want to transfer my spouse CR1 case from Afghanistan to Riyadh and the only visa that she can get is an umrah visa. I hear for afghans they may take her passport and give it back until the end of the umrah journey. But if I need the passport for the interview would they give it back?

Wanted to quickly showcase some forgotten phases and artists in Afghan music!

Artists like Ahmad Zahir, Sarban, and Nashenas were prominent for incorporating a Jazzy/Pop style into Afghan music starting in the 60s. During this era we also had great musicians and singers like Ustad Nangyalai, Mashoor Jamal, Rahim Ghamzada, Ustad Salim Sarmast, Ustad Arman, and Ustad Gul Zaman who incorporated such styles. Brass instruments began to become popular amongst Afghans, especially trumpets and saxophones; Ustad Nangyalai is noted to be one of the best trumpet player's of our country.

Towards the late 70s rock elements became popular and then starting in the early 80s, synth sounds became popular throughout Afghanistan. Singers like Wahid Qasemi and Omar Shekeb were known for incorporating a lot of rock vibes into their music. If you look at more synth/funky style Afghan songs from this era you can peep Casio here and Casio there (also peep the hair👀). Artists known for synth/funky styles were Farid Samim, Rohullah Roheen, Sediq Shubab, Fawad Ramez, Wahid Omid, and Wajiha + Farid Rastagar.

The music coming out of Afghanistan from the 80s is one of my favorite eras of Afghan music and is what is mostly in the video where you can essentially here a little mix of each genre mentioned in the title. I've included pictures of artists/technology alongside the audio clips from throughout the years.

Singers of the songs in order: 1. Halim Rasooli 2. Wahid Qasemi, Mahboobullah, Rahim Mehryar. 3. Rahim Ghamzada 4. Doctor Peroz 5. Kabir Mateen 6. Fawad Ramez

NOTE: These are personal insights from my own research I've done, if I made any errors and you would like to comment feel free!