Rents rise in Nangarhar amid sharp increase in returning refugees

With the surge of Afghans returning from Pakistan, the cost of housing has sharply increased in eastern Nangarhar province over the past few weeks.

Returnees say they cannot afford to pay the steep rents charged by landlords and have asked the government to step in.

“The rent of houses that was 4,000 or 5,000 afghanis has increased to 8,000 and 9,000 afghanis. It has even increased to 10,000 afghanis,” says Ketab Khan, a resident of Nangarhar.

Local officials say that they have taken measures to resolve the issue and are trying to control prices.

“We have a chief in every district. We have a general president of the union. We have told them to identify anyone who violates our order,” says Gul Zaman Naseh, head of coordination of the Nangarhar Justice Department.

Vice and Virtue officials also go street to street, asking residents to help returnees by renting houses at reasonable prices.

“We have to help them (returnees). Share with them an apple we eat. We have told all the people through the mosques to embrace the returning Afghans and not to raise the rents,” says Sahibullah Nomani, a muhtasib in Nangarhar province.