Kabul: A City With 2 Faces

Kabul, the ancient city and capital of Afghanistan, has witnessed many ups and downs. The center of power struggles throughout its history, Kabul was prized by conquerors or invaders due to its geostrategic importance. From Alexander the Great through Mughal King Babur, Kabul was ruled by many different dynasties.

The city’s golden age came from 1930-1970, when Kabul became a hotspot for tourists. Its cinema halls were full, while parks, universities, and picnic places were always lively. Kabul at that time was among the most beautiful cities in the world, having air free from pollution. Its location — surrounded by beautiful mountains, which would give the city a whitish look, and with a river flowing in its center — further beautified the city. Kabul attracted tourists from different parts of the world, who would enjoy the unique Afghan culture, hospitality, and multi-ethnicity of the city. Kabulis were religiously, culturally, and socially tolerant enough for the city to host different ethnicities and religions; foreigners also felt very comfortable.

During the period of communist rule (1978-89), the regime’s habit of killing and arresting its opponents, as well as its internal disputes, spread a layer of fear among the people. Still, Kabul maintained its beautiful look. After the outbreak of civil war in 1990, different groups of mujahideen started fighting one another. The city was ruled by different militia groups and it witnessed the worst kind of human rights abuses. During that time of fear and terror, many Kabulis sold their property and left the city, migrating Pakistan and Iran or even Europe or America.

Then, in 1996, the city was captured by the Taliban, who ruled with their own strict understanding of Islam. The new leaders banned music, television, and girls’ education. During that time, Kabul was not only isolated from the rest of the world but was completely changed and transformed into a ghost town.

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the city has simultaneously worn two faces: it is a city of life and hope but at the same time it holds fear and terror too.