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Off the Afghan Map: Nuristan residents appeal for decent road access
Currently, a 22-kilometer section of the Kunar-Nuristan highway is under reconstruction, with work said to be about halfway complete.
Tucked away in the steep folds of the Hindu Kush mountains, the people of Nuristan have long battled isolation. But for residents of this eastern Afghanistan province, it’s not just the geography that keeps them cut off — it’s the roads, or rather, the lack thereof.
The province’s main route, a vital artery linking Nuristan’s rugged valleys to the outside world, has become a treacherous track of dust, rock, and frustration. Locals say the road is in such poor condition that what should be a lifeline has instead become a major burden.
“Every time we travel, it’s a gamble,” said Mohammad Nazir, a driver who regularly ferries passengers through the region. “Landslides, flat tires, broken axles — these are daily problems. We just want a real road.”
Nuristan, celebrated for its emerald forests and striking mountain landscapes, draws hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists every year. But many never make it in. The journey, locals say, is enough to turn back even the most determined traveler.
Currently, a 22-kilometer section of the Kunar-Nuristan highway is under reconstruction, with work said to be about halfway complete. The road, planned to be nine meters wide, is part of a larger push by the Ministry of Public Works to improve connectivity in Afghanistan’s remote provinces.
Provincial officials say the project is progressing swiftly. More than 70 pieces of heavy machinery are in operation, and hundreds of Nuristanis have found work on the site. But patience is wearing thin.
“We’ve waited decades for a proper road,” said a local elder in Parun. “This should have been done long ago. We hope they won’t abandon the project halfway.”
The stakes are high. Beyond tourism, poor infrastructure affects nearly every aspect of life in Nuristan. Villagers report long delays in transporting patients to hospitals, skyrocketing prices for goods, and a lack of access to basic services.
While other parts of the country have begun to see a patchwork of paved roads, Nuristan remains without a single asphalted network. The province’s challenging terrain means road construction here isn’t just costly — it’s monumental.
For now, residents continue to rely on gravel roads and sheer determination. But their message to Kabul is clear: “Don’t forget us in the mountains.”
As one local put it: “We don’t need a miracle — just a road that works.”
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, has called on religious scholars to play a stronger role in promoting the protection of the Islamic system and Afghanistan’s national interests among the public.
Speaking at a turban-tying ceremony at Jamia Fath al-Uloom in Kabul on Wednesday, Baradar urged scholars to adopt a softer tone in their sermons and public addresses.
He said that alongside teaching religious obligations, scholars should help foster a sense of responsibility toward safeguarding the Islamic system and national unity.
Baradar described madrasas as the sacred foundations of religious learning, moral education, spiritual and intellectual development, and Islamic movements within Muslim societies.
He noted that in Afghanistan, religious teachings and the concept of sacred jihad originated in madrasas, spread from villages to cities, and eventually translated into action and resistance.
He also emphasized the role of madrasas in the intellectual reform of society, the removal of what he described as un-Islamic cultural influences, and the preservation of Islamic traditions.
Baradar stressed that religious schools must remain committed to their original mission and values under all circumstances.
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Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan discuss expanding trade and economic cooperation
Azizi welcomed the Kyrgyz delegation and thanked them for visiting Kabul, underscoring the importance of closer economic engagement between the two countries.
Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan held high-level talks in Kabul aimed at strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations, officials said.
The meeting brought together Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Bakyt Sadykov, Minister of Economy and Trade of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is leading a visiting delegation to the Afghan capital.
Azizi welcomed the Kyrgyz delegation and thanked them for visiting Kabul, underscoring the importance of closer economic engagement between the two countries.
During the talks, both sides discussed ways to boost bilateral trade by making better use of existing capacities and identifying priority export commodities.
The discussions also focused on developing transit routes, signing transit agreements, attracting joint domestic and foreign investment, and expanding cooperation through trade exhibitions, business conferences and regular meetings.
The two ministers stressed the need to implement earlier agreements, particularly the economic and trade cooperation roadmap signed during a previous visit by an Afghan delegation to Kyrgyzstan.
They said effective follow-up on these commitments would be key to translating discussions into tangible results.
Officials from both countries said the meeting was intended to deepen economic, trade and investment ties, while opening new avenues for partnership between Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan in the coming period.
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