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Without work and food, hundreds flee to Pakistan and Iran daily
A main bus terminal in Kabul is nowadays crowded as many residents of the city try to find their way out of Afghanistan into some neighboring countries.
Bus drivers at the Paitakht Bus Terminal said many families were trying to leave Kabul each day, but many could not afford the bus fare to destinations near the border cities.
“There are many families traveling (out of here) these says days. Most of them travel from here to Mazar-i-Sharif, and then many of them cross the border to Iran from Mazar-i-Sharif,” said bus driver Sahil.
Underlining the economic pressures building on Afghanistan’s new Islamic Emirate government, prices for staples like flour, fuel and rice have risen and long queues are still forming outside banks as they strictly ration withdrawals.
Some humanitarian aid has started to arrive and limited trade has returned across land borders with Pakistan, but a severe cash shortage is crippling day-to-day economic activity and decades of war have left much infrastructure in tatters.
Foreign aid payments, which accounted for 40% of Afghanistan’s gross domestic product, have all but stopped as the West considers how to deal with the IEA that, until August, led an insurgency against the U.S.-backed government.
Abdullah, one Kabul resident hoping to leave, said: “We will leave for Pakistan or Iran because we don’t have work here. We work the whole day for a single bite of bread. What else can we do? We have brought these items at home and have brought them here to sell, since there is no money and no work.”
This comes amid a continuing economic crisis including a severe cash shortage in the heavily dollarized country.
With dollar shipments to Afghanistan having been stopped and with sanctions against the IEA in place, thousands of government employees have not been paid and work has dried up especially as banks have a strict weekly withdrawal limit.
Members of a Russia-led security bloc that includes some countries adjacent or close to Afghanistan meanwhile have no plans to host Afghan refugees, bloc member Kazakhstan said last week.
The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) includes three Central Asian nations – Tajikistan, which has a lengthy border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan – as well as several more remote former Soviet republics.
At a heads-of-state meeting of the bloc in Tajikistan on Thursday, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev “supported the joint CSTO position that the placement of Afghan refugees or foreign military bases on our countries’ territories is unacceptable”, his office said in a statement.
Two more Central Asian nations, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, border Afghanistan but are not CSTO members. However, Uzbekistan has also said it would only allow short-term transit of refugees by planes to third countries.
At a regular meeting of the Economic Commission chaired by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, the National Policy for the Development of the Agriculture and Livestock Sector was approved.
According to a statement from the deputy PM’s office, the key objectives of the policy include the mechanization of the agriculture and livestock sector; development of agricultural, irrigation, and livestock research and extension systems; management of irrigation systems; support for investment in these sectors; and ensuring public access to high-quality agricultural and animal products.
During the same meeting, the development plan for the fish farming sector was also approved.
Under this plan, through private sector investment, 7,700 small, medium, and large fish production and farming facilities will be established on 6,500 hectares of land in various parts of the country.
The statement added that the implementation of this plan will create direct employment opportunities for 50,000 people and indirect employment for 250,000 others.
Officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry for Virtue and Vice successfully intervened to stop three cases of forced marriage in the provinces of Balkh, Kunar, and Parwan, protecting women’s rights under Islamic law.
The cases involved families attempting to marry off their daughters against their will. After registering and reviewing the complaints, ministry officials acted swiftly to halt the marriages.
The families were summoned and advised on the importance of respecting women’s rights and the freedom to choose a spouse. Following the intervention, they pledged that all future marriages of their daughters would occur only with the women’s full consent.
The ministry said the actions reflect its ongoing commitment to safeguarding women’s rights and enforcing Islamic principles across Afghanistan.
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Doha process private sector meeting highlights growth and coordination in Afghanistan
The session was divided into two segments, focusing on growth and inclusion in the first part, and coordination and transparency in the second.
The 3rd session of the Doha Process Private Sector Working Group was held both in-person and online at Kabul’s Grand Hotel, hosted by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
The meeting brought together representatives from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Industry and Commerce, Economy, Labor and Social Affairs, and the Central Bank, alongside UNAMA, UN agencies, international and regional organizations, as well as ambassadors, diplomats, and private sector experts.
The session was divided into two segments, focusing on growth and inclusion in the first part, and coordination and transparency in the second.
Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate representatives shared achievements and progress since assuming governance, while participants acknowledged these efforts and highlighted their ongoing support for the private sector. All parties offered recommendations to address challenges and emphasized enhanced cooperation moving forward.
Economic Commission approves national policy for development of agriculture
Afghan authorities prevent three forced marriages in Balkh, Kunar, and Parwan
Doha process private sector meeting highlights growth and coordination in Afghanistan
Uzbekistan approves feasibility study agreement for Trans-Afghan Railway
Winter Olympics: Milan action continues with packed schedule on Tuesday
Afghanistan–China joint market opens in Kabul
Pakistan approves re-export of stranded Afghan transit trade cargo
Pakistan army orders evacuation of Tirah Valley, fears of mass displacement grow
Afghan traders sign deal to import pharmaceuticals from Bangladesh
Uzbekistan pushes forward with Trans-Afghan railway project
Tahawol: Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Failure of Towards Afghanistan discussed
Saar: Regional Problems, Opportunities, and Challenges discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s relations and opportunities with regional countries
Tahawol: Kabul’s response to Pakistan’s new accusation discussed
Saar: Discussion on Iran-US talks in Oman
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