Kabul: Afghanistan's Taliban rulers ordered all national and international NGOs to stop their women employees from working after "serious complaints" they were not observing a proper dress code, the Ministry of Economy told AFP on Saturday.

"There have been serious complaints regarding the non-observance of the Islamic hijab and other rules and regulations pertaining to the work of females in national and international organisations," said a notification sent to all NGOs, a copy of which was obtained by AFP and confirmed by a ministry spokesman.