Afghan barbers cut the hair of their customers in Herat on February 10, 2013. Over a third of Afghans are living in abject poverty, as those in power are more concerned about addressing their vested interests rather than the basic needs of the population, a UN report said. AFP FILE PHOTO
HERAT, Afghanistan 鈥� Quiffs, mohawks, and crew cuts were hairstyles Nader Shah was accustomed to styling for image-conscious young men in Afghanistan鈥檚 third-biggest city of Herat.
But since the Taliban swept to power in mid-August, Afghans have little cash to spare and fear being punished for sporting short or fashionable cuts.
鈥淏efore, people came and asked for different hairstyles, but it鈥檚 simply not like that anymore,鈥� 24-year-old Shah said at his barber鈥檚 shop, with mirrors covering every wall. 鈥淣ow they are heartbroken.鈥�
During the Taliban鈥檚 first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, the hardliners banned flamboyant hairstyles and insisted men grow beards.
After they were ousted, being clean-shaven was often considered a sign of modernity, including in the relatively cosmopolitan western city of Herat.
鈥淣ow people come here and they only ask for simple cuts,鈥� Shah said. 鈥淭hey also don鈥檛 shave their beards, so it鈥檚 a problem now.鈥�
The barber, who has been in the business for 15 years after starting as a young apprentice, said the downturn has caused his daily earnings to plummet from $15 to between $5 and $7.
In the next neighborhood, Mohammad Yousefi, 32, said he has had to dramatically lower his prices 鈥� from $6 a cut to just $1 鈥� to keep his shop running.
鈥淏ecause of the Taliban situation, customers have less income and they pay us less,鈥� he said.
Yousefi said that after the Islamist hardliners took control of the country, 鈥渟uddenly people like to make themselves look like the Taliban鈥�.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not like the Taliban are fashionable, but people don鈥檛 shave their beards because the Taliban will stop and ask them about it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey say it鈥檚 not in sharia law, and that men should have beards and long hair.鈥�
Fleeing clients
At 36-year-old Ali Reza鈥檚 barber shop, pink spotlights shone down on customers and shelves were crammed with hairspray cans, gels, mousses, cologne and face masks.
The barber deftly chopped his scissors over a customer鈥檚 beard as waiting clients discussed Afghan politics.
His two apprentices 鈥� Reza鈥檚 11-year-old nephew Sobhan and Mohsan, 14 鈥� watched his every move, tidying away brushes, combs and electric clippers, and helping unwrap razor blades.
Reza completed the experience with a flourish, drumming his fingers over the customer鈥檚 head, massaging his temples and eyebrows, before scrunching the unsuspecting client鈥檚 ears for several seconds.
鈥淚n the past, young people would come every one or two weeks to cut their hair or beards, and they were happy,鈥� Reza told AFP, adding many of his clients had fled.
鈥淭hose young people who are still here are not interested in cutting their hair or beards anymore because the economy is really poor,鈥� he said.
Since the Taliban takeover, Afghans say job opportunities have dried up.
鈥淏efore my income was excellent, and now it鈥檚 not,鈥� he said.