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A women wearing high heels and a burka walks along a street in Taloquan. The Taliban’s religious police have instructed ministries and other government bodies to ensure female employees wear a hijab, terminate those who don't and prevent women without the head covering from entering government facilities. Maurizio Gambarini/dpa

The Taliban’s religious police have instructed ministries and other government bodies to ensure female employees wear a hijab, terminate those who don’t and prevent women without the head covering from entering government facilities.

The instruction has been handed to eight government bodies so far, according to a statement released on Monday by Sadiq Akif Muhajir, the spokesman of the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

In addition, government offices have been instructed that male and female employees must have separate workplaces and that male employees must pray in congregation while at work.

The recruitment of minors and men without a beard has been banned.

The news comes after the ministry ordered taxi drivers not to pick up women not wearing a hijab or not accompanied by a close male relative.

Last month, the Taliban’s religious police mounted posters on shopfronts and billboards requesting women to cover up. The posters showed a hijab and a burqa.

Women who have protested against the Taliban restrictions have been harassed and detained.