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Cabinet Meeting convened to discuss Afghanistan’s population census plan
However, according to estimates by the former government, Afghanistan’s population was approximately 33 million.
The Presidential Palace (ARG) announced Tuesday that the 20th Cabinet Meeting was held on Monday to deliberate on the proposed national population census and to review key economic, social, and cultural matters.
According to a statement issued by ARG, the meeting was chaired by Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
One of the central topics of discussion was the proposed framework for conducting a nationwide population census.
The Cabinet instructed the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) to thoroughly review the draft census plan and present a final report at the next Cabinet session.
A committee, headed by Abdul Qaher, the Director of NSIA, was tasked with convening a meeting to evaluate the proposal and prepare a comprehensive report.
Additionally, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing was directed to expedite the implementation of construction mapping processes.
Accurate demographic data for Afghanistan—particularly regarding ethnic and social group distribution—is currently lacking.
However, according to estimates by the former government, Afghanistan’s population was approximately 33 million.
In contrast, the Central Statistics Authority estimated in July of 2020 the previous year that the country’s population had reached 39.7 million. Estimates rose however to 41.4 million in 2023.
The last national population census in Afghanistan was conducted in 1979. However, the census only covered 67% of the country’s districts due to security concerns.
Subsequent attempts to conduct a full census were hampered by ongoing insecurity.
Current population estimates are based on projections from the 1979 baseline, with a projected growth rate of 2.03%.
The development of a national census is however seen as a critical step for future planning and development efforts across sectors.
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Tajik foreign minister urges international community to help Afghanistan address its challenges
Tajikistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sirodjiddin Mukhriddin, has called on the international community to step up assistance for Afghanistan as the country continues to face challenges.
Speaking at a press conference, Mukhriddin said Tajikistan and Afghanistan maintain active coordination between their law enforcement agencies to prevent security incidents along their shared border. He noted that this cooperation remains essential, as the frequency of armed attacks and criminal activity in border regions has increased in recent months.
He said that Afghan authorities had assured Tajikistan they would take necessary measures to stop further incidents and would conduct thorough investigations into any violations.
Mukhriddin emphasized that Tajikistan supports constructive international engagement aimed at improving Afghanistan’s socio-economic conditions. He highlighted that Tajikistan has provided more than 6,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, including food and essential supplies delivered in 2025 to assist communities affected by devastating earthquakes.
The minister also pointed to growing economic cooperation between the two neighbors. Tajikistan has reopened border markets and continues to supply electricity to Afghanistan.
Tajikistan and Afghanistan share a border of more than 1,300 kilometers—over 1,100 km of which consists of waterways and about 190 km of land boundaries.
Meanwhile, Zafar Samad Director of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, has said that last year, 17 incidents of clashes happened with drug smugglers along the border with Afghanistan. As a result, two Tajik forces and 10 Afghan nationals have been killed, he added.
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Baradar: Afghanistan is not an easy target, but a ‘bitter tree’
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, warned during a graduation ceremony for soldiers of the Ministry of National Defense that the Islamic Emirate will respond decisively to anyone with ill intentions toward Afghanistan.
He said the country is “not an easy target, but a bitter tree that has made the throats of empires bitter and newborns can never digest.”
Baradar also announced that in the coming days, the Islamic Emirate will introduce tax exemptions of one to five years for domestic and foreign investors, based on the level of investment in new sectors. He also said that the process of distribution of land to manufacturers will be accelerated.
Baradar called on countries to engage in political and economic relations according to the values and principles of the Islamic Emirate, emphasizing that energy and resources spent on conflict would be better used to support one another and strengthen common interests.
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Fourteen former Afghan government forces killed in last three months of 2025: UNAMA
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in its latest report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, stated that 14 members of the former Afghan government forces were killed in the last three months of 2025.
The report noted that during this period, there were 28 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, and at least seven cases of torture and ill-treatment targeting officials and personnel of the former Afghan government.
According to the report, some of the officials and forces who had recently returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan were among those subjected to extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and detentions.
The report also highlighted restrictions on women’s work and movement, executions and flogging of individuals, and disruptions to internet and telecommunications services.
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