New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS): In a new effort, the Kabul municipality has taken steps to remove the photos of women on storefronts in the capital city, Tolo News reported.

The spokesman of Kabul municipality, Nematullah Barakzai, said the government has ordered the municipality's officials to remove all photos of women from signboards at shops and business centres in Kabul.

"Based on the decision of the government, the photos that are against Islamic regulations will be collected or removed from billboards," said Barakzai, the report said.

Meanwhile, the owners of beauty salons in Kabul criticised the decision of the Islamic Emirate, and asked the government to not impose restrictions on their business.

Shayesta Saifi, a make-up artiste, has worked in a beauty salon for seven years. Shayesta said she is financially assisting her 10-member family. "This is imposing a restriction on women's work, there is a fear that they will lock our shop in the coming days," she said.

"How does it benefit the government if photos of women are removed," asked Parwana, a women's rights activist, as per the report.

This comes as international organisations have repeatedly called on the Taliban to not ignore the rights of women and to not marginalise women from the society. But the Islamic Emirate claims that it already respects women based on Islamic principles.