Latest News
Taliban Collects 200 Million Afghanis from ‘Power Bills’ in Kunduz
The Taliban insurgent group in northern Kunduz province has earned about 200 million Afghanis from power bills during the last two years, officials said.
“During the last two years, the Taliban is collecting power bills in the areas under their control,” Abdul Hameed Hameedi, the power utility head for Kunduz province said.
According to the official, this amount of money was collected from more than 14,000 clients in the province.
In addition, sources in the Afghanistan’s national power utility say that annually, the group earns millions of Afghanis from the power bills in Herat and Helmand provinces.
Reports suggest that Taliban earns a part of the power utility’s revenue in the volatile Baghlan province too.
Local officials blames both the government and the power company.
“Weak management is the main reason that the Company cannot collect its payments; therefore, an enormous amount of money goes to the anti-government armed groups,” Firuzuddin Imaq, a member of Baghlan provincial council said.
In the past, a part of the Taliban’s income used to come from drug trafficking and Islamic taxation (Ushur and Zakat), but now the power bill is an addition to their incomes.
By: Fawad Naseri & Hesamuddin Hesam
Latest News
Mullah Baradar discusses creation of railway with Kazakh deputy PM
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs has met with Erik Zhumangarin, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and discussed the establishment of a railway network from Kazakhstan to Pakistan through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, the deputy PM’s office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Baradar emphasized the need to sign agreements to solve the banking problems of traders from both countries, the creation of Afghan-Kazakh joint companies, and the facilitation of visas for Afghan traders.
According to the statement, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said that the Kazakh government intends to establish a joint chamber of industry and commerce and a joint trade and labor group between the two countries, and is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in the sectors of e-governance, industry, higher education, education, health, and banking.
Latest News
Iran, Pakistan leaders raise concerns over ‘terrorist groups’ in Afghanistan
Following a two-day official visit to Pakistan, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a joint statement emphasizing the need to further expand commercial and economic cooperation and transform the common border of the two countries from a “border of peace” to “border of prosperity”.
The two leaders also strongly condemned aggressions and crimes of Israel in Gaza, and demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as well as unimpeded humanitarian access to the besieged people of Gaza.
Numerous other issues were also discussed but on the topic of Afghanistan, they jointly declared their commitment to the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united, independent country free from the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking.
According to the statement the two countries pointed out that the existence of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan is a serious threat to the security of the region and the world.
The two sides stressed their desire to strengthen cooperation in the field of fighting terrorism and ensuring security and creating a united front against terrorism.
They also discussed the importance of coordinating regional and international efforts to ensure security and stability in the region.
“While respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, the two sides recognized that increasing participation of all strata of Afghans in basic decision-making will lead to the strengthening of peace and stability in this country,” the statement read.
Latest News
Over 1,000 Afghan refugees forced out of Pakistan in one day
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR) says over 1,000 Afghan migrants were forcibly returned from Pakistan on Tuesday through Spin Boldak border crossing in Kandahar province, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry stated that based on information provided by the Spin Boldak Kandahar border command, these returnees comprised 191 families, totalling 998 people.
In addition, three migrants released from Pakistani prisons were also returned, according to the statement.
The statement added that after registering the returnees, the refugees were referred to the offices of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Each family received 10,000 afghanis – paid to them by the Islamic Emirate.
In another statement, the ministry said that 2,783 migrants living in Iran voluntarily and forcibly returned to the country during this week.
-
Sport5 days ago
Afghanistan Champions League kicks off with grand opening ceremony
-
Latest News4 days ago
Pakistan’s frontiers minister stresses ‘dignified’ return of Afghan refugees
-
Business5 days ago
Afghanistan’s economic prospects are bleak: World Bank
-
Latest News5 days ago
More than 800 Afghan refugees deported from Pakistan in two days
-
Regional3 days ago
Iranian president lands in Pakistan for three-day visit to mend ties
-
Climate Change4 days ago
Massive river flooding expected in China, threatening millions
-
Latest News4 days ago
Chinese keen to invest in Panjshir-Kabul water conduit project
-
Latest News5 days ago
Roof collapse kills two in Helmand