Radio Afghanistan, also known as Radio Kabul or Voice of Sharia, is the public radio station of Afghanistan, owned by Radio Television Afghanistan. The frequencies are 1107 kHz (AM) and 105.2 MHz (FM) for the Kabul area. The name Radio Kabul has been given to many different incarnations of the state-run radio station since the first radio transmitters were installed in Kabul in the 1920s.
The music of Afghanistan comprises many varieties of classical music, folk music, and modern popular music. Afghanistan has a rich musical heritage and features a mix of Persian melodies, Indian compositional principles, and sounds from ethnic groups such as the Pashtuns, Tajiks and Hazaras. Instruments used range from Indian tablas to long-necked lutes. Afghanistan's classical music is closely related to Hindustani classical music while sourcing much of its lyrics directly from classical Persian poetry such as Mawlana Balkhi (Rumi) and the Iranian tradition indigenous to central Asia. Lyrics throughout most of Afghanistan are typically in Dari (Persian) and Pashto. The multi-ethnic city of Kabul has long been the regional cultural capital, but outsiders have tended to focus on the city of Herat, which is home to traditions more closely related to Iranian music than in the rest of the country.
The national flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, adopted on 15 August 2021 following the Taliban's victory in the 2001–2021 war, features a white field with a black Shahada inscribed. Since the 20th century, Afghanistan has changed its national flag several times. The national flag had black, red and green colors most of the time during the period.
The National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran, also known as the "Eastern Sun", is the national anthem of Iran. It was adopted in 1990, replacing the previous anthem used during the rule of Ruhollah Khomeini. It was composed by Hassan Riyahi, and the lyrics were written by Sayed Bagheri. It is the fourth official Iranian national anthem.
The Ministry of Defense is the cabinet ministry of Afghanistan responsible for overseeing the military of Afghanistan. The ministry is located in Kabul.
The Afghan Social Democratic Party, more commonly known as the Afghan Mellat Party or simply the Afghan Mellat, is a Pashtun nationalist political party in Afghanistan. The party's leadership describes it as social democratic. The party's current leader is Stanagul Sherzad, who became the new leader after the 6th party congress on October 3, 2012.
Jalil Zaland was a veteran singer and composer of Afghanistan's golden music era. Zaland was one of the biggest music stars of Afghanistan and he earned the honorific Ustad and is therefore best known as Ustad Zaland. As a Persian speaker, his classic melodies were also highly acclaimed in Iran and Tajikistan.
Afghanistan National Television is the state-owned television channel in Afghanistan. It is part of the Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) public broadcaster.
The National Front of Afghanistan, or Jabh-e Melli, was established in late 2011 by Ahmad Zia Massoud, Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq and Abdul Rashid Dostum. It was generally regarded as a reformation of parts of the military wing which once existed of the United Front which with U.S. air support removed the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in late 2001. The National Front strongly opposed a return of the Taliban to power but failed to keep them in check. It retains only a small military apparatus today. The chairman of the National Front is Ahmad Zia Massoud, the younger brother of the Northern Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud who was assassinated two days before the September 11 attacks in 2001. It is unclear if it is still in operation, as Afghanistan's Republican government has collapsed.
Abdul Bari Jahani is an Afghan poet, novelist, historian and journalist. He wrote the lyrics for the national anthem of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The "Grand Salute", also known by its incipit "Our Brave and Noble King" was the national anthem of the Kingdom of Afghanistan from 1943 to 1973. The song was officially launched in 1943 and replaced the first national anthem, composed during the reign of Amanullah Khan. In 1973, the kingdom was overthrown in a coup d'état, and the song was also abolished.
"Garam shah lā garam shah" was the national anthem of Afghanistan from 1978 to 1992, during the period of one-party socialist rule.
"Fortress of Islam, Heart of Asia" is an Afghan mujahidin battle song composed in 1919 by Ustad Qasim. It was adopted as the national anthem of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 2006.
The Afghan Armed Forces, officially the Armed Forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Armed Forces, is the military of Afghanistan, commanded by the Taliban government from 1997 to 2001 and since August 2021. According to Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense, its total manpower is 170,000 as of September 2023.
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces is the highest-ranking military officer in the military of Afghanistan, who is responsible for maintaining the operational command of the military.
Qasem Jo, better known as Ustad Qasim, was an Afghan musician, composer, and singer. He is generally considered by musicologists to be one of the most well-known Afghan musicians of the 20th century.
The "Afghan National Anthem" was the de jure national anthem of the internationally recognized Islamic Republic of Afghanistan used since 2006 but fell into disuse in 2021. The lyrics were written by Abdul Bari Jahani, and the music was composed by German-Afghan composer Babrak Wassa. It was de facto replaced by "This Is the Home of the Brave" after the Taliban takeover in 2021.
"This Is the Home of the Brave" is a Pashto-language nasheed and the national anthem of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. It is an a cappella song, meaning that it does not contain musical instruments, as instruments are considered haram by the Taliban. This Nasheed is based on the communist era song "Da De Azadi Khawra".
The National Democratic Movement is a Pashtun nationalist, regionalist, and social-democratic political party in Pakistan. The NDM seeks to resist the "growing militarisation" and promotes a federal parliamentary system. It also aims to provide a platform to women and youth for organising their political activism. It was founded by Mohsin Dawar on 1 September 2021 in Peshawar.
