'Baseless propaganda': Taliban spokesperson refutes reports of ban on men, women dining together

• Taliban spokesperson refutes reports regarding ban on dining out together.
• Spokesperson calls it "part of baseless propaganda."
• It was reported that Taliban authorities have banned men and women from dining out together and visiting parks at same time.

Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen refuted all the rumours regarding the Taliban ban on men and women from dining out together and visiting parks at the same time. 

Taking to Twitter, Shaheen, quoting the Ministry of Promotion of Virtues, said that the reports of banning men and women from dining together are rumours and not true but "part of baseless propaganda."

"Ministry of Promotion of Virtues says: Some media outlets have reported that the Ministry has put restrictions on families to have lunch or dinner together with female family members in restaurants and hotels. These are rumours and are not true but part of baseless propaganda," he wrote. 

Yesterday, it was reported that Taliban authorities have banned men and women from dining out together and visiting parks at the same time in the western Afghan city of Herat.

Riazullah Seerat, a Taliban official at the Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat, had said authorities "have instructed that men and women be segregated in restaurants".

He told AFP that owners had been verbally warned that the rule applies "even if they are husband and wife".

One Afghan woman, who did not wish to be identified, said the manager told her and her husband to sit separately at a Herat restaurant on Wednesday.

Safiullah — a restaurant manager who like many Afghans goes by only one name — confirmed he had received the ministry diktat.

"We have to follow the order, but it has a very negative impact on our business," Safiullah said, adding that if the ban continues he will be forced to fire staff.

With additional input from AFP.