Date: 13/03/1401 Tailors Specializing in Women's Clothing Express Growing Concerns Over Potential Business Closures June 3, 2022, A number of tailors in Herat city, who specialize in crafting women’s garments, have raised concerns after receiving verbal instructions from the Taliban to cease their operations. The Taliban, however, have denied issuing any formal orders to close such businesses. Mohammad Idris, a tailor with three decades of experience in Herat, expressed his shock and anxiety upon being informed by the Taliban that his shop must be shut down. He explained, “A group of Taliban members entered our tailoring shop and told my apprentices that we must close the business because we are sewing clothes for women, which they deem inappropriate. Since that day, I have been unable to sleep, as I am deeply worried about how I will provide for my children’s needs.” This development has caused widespread unease among local tailors, who fear the loss of their livelihoods and the broader implications for their families.

The Taliban’s informal pressure on tailors specializing in women's clothing in Herat represents a targeted restriction on livelihoods linked to women’s visibility and autonomy. Though lacking formal orders, such verbal threats have created a climate of fear and economic insecurity, especially for tradesmen reliant on this work. The chilling effect undermines gender equality in commerce and illustrates how coercive enforcement without legal basis can still disrupt social and economic life under authoritarian rule.