It is the last week of holy month of Ramadan. According to the teachings of Islam and what Allah has asked His faithful men, the holy month of Ramadan is a month of blessings, forgiveness, kindness, brotherhood and love of humanity. But unfortunately Afghanistan is gripped with devastating violence and terror by the forces of darkness during the holy month.

Last week, a Taliban infiltration in Afghan National Police in Helmand killed three US troops. They were invited by the killer as guests for the pre-dawn meal for Ramadan. The soldiers, due to respect for the religious and cultural practice, had gone unarmed. They were killed in the most coward way, against all norms of Islam and our culture. It is the worst violation of our religious and traditional values in Afghanistan. Taliban militants working on a foreign agenda do not hesitate going any limit.

There has been regular news of violence during this Ramadan. Allah says this is a month of love and peace; the militants made it a month of violence and bloodshed for innocent Afghan civilians as they are responsible for over 80 percent of casualties. There have been suicide bombings and attacks. The forces of darkness come to the height of cowardice by killing defenseless civilians. Eleven were slaughtered in Jalrez District two weeks ago.

Ordinary Afghans, who are faithful Muslims, have kept silent on such atrocity at the hands of Taliban. If there was an incident with such grave violation of our religious values outside the country in any western state, our people would have started countrywide protests and demonstrations. But they keep mum on atrocities like the butchering of students in Jalrez.

Taliban have brought sorrow and grief to many families this Ramadan and hundreds will not celebrate Eid.

Besides the violence, there is other double-standard show of extreme hypocrisy in our society. Allah says Ramadan is a month of blessings and kindness, when His men help those in need. But it is practiced the opposite in Afghanistan.

With arrival of Ramadan and Eid days, prices of all commodities and food items go skyrocketing. In the western world, what many of our people call infidel and non-believers, there are special arrangements during events of religious festivities and celebrations. Traders do not make an artificial dumping of goods to make the prices double, as common in our part of the world.