Afghans have begun to play music and celebrate weddings again as the ruling Taliban militia leaves local communities for the cities and frontlines, a report said Wednesday.
Residents in Paktia province south of the capital Kabul had begun to play music and sing traditional wedding songs for the first time since the Taliban imposed their hard-line version of Islamic law some five years ago, the report in the Pakistan-based News daily said.
Quoting people from the area who had fled to Pakistan fearing massive US military strikes, the report said Taliban forces had handed over local security tasks to the villages.
"Locals claimed that after a long break, people in Paktia have started celebrating weddings and other events with the beat of drums once again," the report said.
"Songs are frequently heard through cassette players and radio sets these days and the population feels a bit relaxed."
The Taliban militia, a target of possible US attack because of its refusal to surrender indicted terrorist Osama bin Laden, has banned music and television in the majority of the country under its control.
It has also forced women to wear full-body veils in public and punishes men who shave or trim their beards -- ISLAMABAD (AFP)
