Taliban Pressure on Shia Institutions Expands; Khatam al-Nabieen University Comes Under Taliban Control

The university is owned by Jawad Mohseni and Abdul Qayum Sajjadi, former members of Afghanistan’s House of Representatives, and is considered one of the educational institutions associated with Afghanistan’s Shia community.

According to informed sources in Kabul, the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education has appointed Mufti Asadullah Nejat, the former acting head of Kabul Medical University, as the new president of Khatam al-Nabieen University.

Sources also said that the university’s land was not among properties classified as illegally seized or usurped, but that the Taliban took the action without providing a convincing justification.

Prior to this move, however, the Taliban’s Minister of Justice had claimed that Khatam al-Nabieen University and Tamadon TV were affiliated with the now-dissolved Islamic Movement of Afghanistan. University and Tamadon TV officials rejected the claim at the time, presenting documents to support their position.

Sources further said that the Taliban’s Minister of Justice had, some time ago, informed the group’s leader in Kandahar in a letter that Tamadon TV belonged to Afghanistan’s Shia community and operated without the presence of Sunni employees and managers.

According to the sources, following the minister’s action and the submission of the letter to Kandahar, the process of shutting down the media outlet’s broadcasts was pursued.

The Taliban have also recruited members of their group as personnel for the university.

According to the sources, the Taliban had previously forced a number of university employees and students to sign a written pledge. Under the pledge, students and university administrators were required to identify themselves as followers of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence and commit to complying with the laws and regulations imposed by the Taliban.

The sources added that signing the pledge was mandatory for the university’s employees and students.