The tiny Hindu population in Afghanistan has been asked by the fundamentalist Taliban regime to wear yellow cloth to identify themselves and follow the Shariat or face prosecution. According to the decree, a copy of which was made available to UNI, Hindus and Muslims cannot live in the same house. Hindus, living in such a house, have been asked to leave within three days and vice-versa.
Any violation invites prosecution.
Hindus cannot build new prayer houses. They have been asked to conduct prayers in existing ones. Places of worship once destroyed cannot be rebuilt. Hindu men cannot wear turbans, while Hindu women should wrap their body with a big yellow chadder with two small holes near the eyes. Hindu women can go to markets but they should wear an iron necklace and their body should be wrapped in yellow chadder .