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Closure of government offices and ministries hampers service delivery
Most government departments and ministries in Kabul remain closed a week after the Taliban’s takeover of the capital, despite an improved security situation and repeated calls by the Taliban for government employees to return to work.
Kabul residents have now also started calling for government offices to reopen.
One resident, Mohammad Reza Nawoandish, said: “I have been going to the Ministry of Higher Education for a few days to get a document, but there is no one to do the work for us and submit our documents to us.”
“The ministries are closed and the people are facing problems, now the (security) situation is also good and we want the ministries to be opened so the people can solve their problems,” said Shir Ali, another resident.
“The ministries must be opened, the people are in trouble, although the security has improved, but the provision of services has been closed and this problem must be solved,” said Hussain Saddiqi, another resident.
The Taliban, meanwhile, say the opening up of Afghan ministries and institutions depends on staff returning to work. They assured government workers that they have no need to be afraid.
“The Islamic Emirate has announced that everyone should come to work and there is no obstacle but the employees are not willing to work, and the Emirate is trying to get the ministries to work as soon as possible, and we ask the employees to return to their jobs without any fear,” said Mawolavi Bilal Nazari, a Taliban member.
Haji Mohammad Idris has meanwhile been appointed as acting director of the Central Bank in a bid to resolve the issue of banks being closed, said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
On the other hand, experts have said the Taliban needs to announce the formation of a government as soon as possible.
“The Taliban must decide on governance as soon as possible so that the people know their fate and the Afghan administration must be activated and the people must be able to go about their daily lives; the Taliban are in a situation where they have to prove to the people that they have programs for the people,” said Hekmatullah Adalatyar, an international affairs analyst.
Following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban last Sunday, most ministries except for the Ministry of Health and Urban Traffic have remained closed.
Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.
According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.
“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.
It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.
Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.
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