“‘We buy old iron, old scraps, and dry bread…’ Every day, this call echoes from the loudspeakers of street vendors wandering through Kabul’s alleys, carrying dozens of meters beyond their source. Yet it is not the only sound shattering the city’s quiet. Every few steps, the roar of Taliban patrol motorcycles and other blaring noises add to the chaos, pouring from the vendors’ speakers.
Residents say that these sounds, especially during moments meant for rest, have stolen the calm from their daily lives. There is no fixed schedule, they explain, leaving people unable to plan their rest or daily activities. Constant loudspeaker use makes it hard for children to concentrate on their studies and creates challenges for the elderly and the sick. While street vendors play a vital role in the city’s economy, residents believe that excessive noise has destroyed neighborhood peace and turned the streets into a relentless cacophony.
They told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the mix of loudspeakers, vendors’ commotion, traffic, and vehicle noise has made life in Kabul nearly unbearable. In some neighborhoods, multiple vendors operating simultaneously with blaring speakers only worsens the noise pollution.
Ahmad, a Kabul resident, calls noise pollution one of the city’s overlooked problems, intensifying as the population grows. After long, exhausting days, he says, people return home seeking a few minutes of peace, only to find the noise from water and gas vendors disturbing them.
He said, “The noise is so intense it can make a healthy person sick, let alone someone already unwell. I feel its harmful effects myself. Authorities need to control this because many families have sick members at home.” He points to the clamor of cars, loudspeakers on karachis, bottled water sellers, and generators, urging the Taliban to take steps to reduce these sounds so residents of the capital can live in peace.
Samira, another resident, struggles to concentrate on her online classes amid the constant noise. “I cannot participate in my lessons because of the loud calls from street vendors,” she says.
She adds, “Noise pollution has made city life very difficult. From the moment we wake up, we hear vendors shouting to sell bottled water, gas, old iron, and more. I understand these activities feed families, but they have completely shattered our peace.”
Jawid, who lives in a densely populated area, says that loud sounds in such neighborhoods rob people of tranquility. He insists urgent steps must be taken to reduce this noise pollution.
“In crowded areas, especially near the airport and industrial factories, the noise is unbearable,” he says. “Soundproofing during construction can protect residents’ peace, cut fuel use, and reduce pollution. Planting trees also helps because they absorb sound and make the city calmer.”
Rashid Amin warns that noise pollution erodes urban culture. “Crowding, traffic, hammering, and general commotion all contribute. High noise levels harm culture and every aspect of people’s lives,” he says, urging citizens to maintain awareness and respect for their environment.
Noise pollution is not limited to alleys. Motorcycles zooming through the day, repeated car horns, children and adults shouting to attract attention or gather passengers for cars and buses, generators in shops, and construction machinery all combine to create widespread and intense noise across the city.
Safiallah, another resident, emphasizes that the city’s chaos reaches every corner. “Even in the markets, there is no peace. People stand in front of restaurants and shout to attract customers. Vegetable, fruit, and clothing sellers all make constant noise. It weighs on people’s spirits; may God have mercy on families living near markets.”
For Kabul residents, noise pollution is more than a nuisance; it is a serious threat to human health. Constant exposure to loud sounds can harm both physical and mental well-being.
First identified in Italy in 1970, noise pollution was largely unregulated in most countries. Today, many nations recognize it as a major environmental problem and use laws and planning to reduce its impact.
The Taliban, however, have not acted to curb the city’s noise. Instead, they amplify it by broadcasting chants and songs such as ‘Darz Warka Ghazi Bushka Ta (1),’ ‘Doshman Di Na Pa Daar Di Lar Aw Bar Mala Yaqooba (2),’ ‘Hokumat Laru Taqat Laru Iran Ba Samawo (3),’ ‘Azadi De Mubarak Sha Bakhtawara (4),’ and thousands of similar songs during patrols with military equipment, further escalating the city’s noise levels.
Although city authorities warned them that no one has the right to disturb residents with loudspeakers, the group continues to generate the loudest sounds in Kabul through their songs.”
The Taliban Pashto Chants’ English Translation:
- Oh! Ghazi, explode the barrel.
- The enemy, from inside and outside, fears Mullah Yaqoob.
- We have the government, we have the power, and Iran will be subdued.
- Congratulations on your freedom
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
آلودهگی صوتی در کابل؛ دستفروشان و طالبان آرامش مردم را میربایند
