A student at Kabul University has alleged that Taliban Higher Education Minister Neda Mohammad Nadim interrogated and assaulted him over wearing a traditional Uzbek hat.
The student said the hat represents Uzbek cultural identity, but the minister allegedly interpreted it as a political symbol.
Hibatullah Yaqouboghlu, a student of Uzbek language and literature, shared a video claiming the incident occurred on campus.
He said Taliban authorities had recently instructed students to wear caps, and some chose traditional Uzbek hats.
According to his account, the incident took place while a group of students were cleaning the university grounds, when the minister’s vehicle stopped nearby.
He claimed that security personnel first questioned the students about their hats, after which the minister personally intervened and interrogated them.
The Taliban have not officially commented on the allegation.