Saif Khyber, spokesman for the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, told Voice of Hindukush that the ministry’s enforcers had arrested more than 8,000 people accused of sorcery and magic over the past five years as part of efforts to prevent superstition and related practices.
Mr. Khyber said the ministry had also carried out extensive activities to promote virtue, uphold Islamic values, improve people’s conduct and appearance, prevent moral corruption, ensure the proper observance of prayers, curb misconduct and expand religious guidance.
He said 60,000 public complaints had been received and addressed during the same period.
He added that measures had been taken to prevent and address practices considered vices, including usury, moral corruption, obscenity, inappropriate clothing, improper activities in the media and harmful behavior among young people, including drug use, disobedience to parents and other misconduct.
Mr. Khyber further said that numerous centers involved in spreading ideological and religious deviations had been identified and shut down during the five-year period.
According to the ministry, religious guidance and counseling had also been provided to government employees to help improve their conduct, appearance and morals. Thousands of tribal and family disputes had been resolved through mediation and reconciliation, the ministry said.
The ministry also said that tens of thousands of cases involving hoarding, usury and the sale of expired products had been prevented, with relevant measures taken against them.