Afghanistan not blocking Whatsapp and Telegram

Afghanistan spokesperson has clarified that the country is not going to ban Whatsapp and Telegram. The news of Afghan government wanting to block Whatsapp and Telegram came when a letter from Afghanistan’s telecoms regulator to Internet service providers telling them to block the services “without delay” was circulated on social media platforms last week.

“Government of Afghanistan isn’t going to ban any social media platforms. WhatsApp and Telegram to continue operating in Afghanistan,” Javid Faisal, deputy spokesman to government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah wrote on Twitter.



The acting minister for telecommunications said last week that the telecoms regulator had been ordered to put a gradual block on the services to improve their functioning after complaints had been received from consumers.

Afghan media have reported that Afghanistan’s National Directorate for Security (NDS) wanted the ban to stop the Taliban and other insurgent groups from using encrypted messages. The NDS has not commented.