Afghanistan News24: Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, the living conditions of people, economic opportunities, the implementation of development projects, and access to government institutions across different provinces have become matters of growing concern and public debate.
However, some residents of the country’s eastern provinces, particularly Nangarhar, say they are being treated differently compared to residents of other provinces.
In this report, Afghanistan News24 has spoken with residents of Kunar, Nuristan, Laghman, and Nangarhar provinces, as well as former military personnel, businesspeople, and tribal elders. Their accounts highlight concerns over the lack of development projects, economic difficulties, restrictions on movement across the Durand Line, the absence of political representation in the Taliban cabinet, and shortcomings in healthcare services.
Lack of Development Projects
The absence of development projects is among the issues that have raised serious concerns among residents of these areas.
In this regard, a tribal elder from Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, whose real identity has been withheld and who is referred to in this report by the pseudonym “Haji Malik Baba” for his protection, says that since the Taliban returned to power, no long-term or meaningful development projects have been implemented for the benefit of the people in his area.
He told Afghanistan News24:
“Since the day the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, no project has been implemented in our district that benefits the people or produces long-term results. How much longer are people expected to remain patient, and how much patience can they be expected to show?”
Economic Hardships Faced by Former Military Personnel
Afghanistan News24 has also spoken with eight former military personnel from Kunar province. They expressed concern over their difficult economic circumstances and raised questions about the restrictions they say they continue to face.
They stated:
“Do our children not have the right to eat and wear decent clothes? Are we not Afghans and Muslims? Why are we repeatedly summoned to district offices and required to provide explanations and prove our innocence?”
Unemployment Among Former Government Employees in Laghman
Eleven residents of Qala-e-Bai village in Alingar district of Laghman province, who previously worked for the former government, also spoke to Afghanistan News24 about their living conditions and unemployment.
Eight of them said they had lost their jobs following the collapse of the former republic and were now struggling to meet their daily needs through agricultural work on farmland.
The remaining interviewees said they were covering their living expenses through small businesses and shopkeeping.
Restrictions on Movement Across the Durand Line
Another major issue raised by residents concerns movement between the two sides of the Durand Line.
Five shopkeepers from Momand Dara district of Nangarhar province criticised restrictions on cross-border movement and raised several questions about the measures imposed on residents of the eastern regions.
According to them, these restrictions amount to discriminatory treatment and constitute an injustice against the people living in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces.
Lack of Eastern Representation in the Taliban Cabinet
Another significant concern raised by residents is the absence of representatives from eastern Afghanistan in the Taliban’s cabinet.
According to them, apart from Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban’s Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, who is from Nuristan province, no other representative from the eastern provinces holds a ministerial position in the cabinet.
Several tribal elders from Haska Mina district of Nangarhar province, who requested anonymity, told Afghanistan News24 that the Taliban’s alleged unequal treatment of eastern communities and the problems they face have become serious concerns.
They said:
“People do not know whether the Taliban even consider the residents of Nangarhar to be citizens of Afghanistan. How is it possible that an entire province like Nangarhar has not a single representative at ministerial level in the cabinet, and even the provincial governor is not from this province?”
They added that the lack of representation from Nangarhar in the governing structure is a serious and worrying issue for the people of the province.
Questions Over Commercial Goods Transported Through Spin Morgha
This report also examines the transportation of commercial goods through the Spin Morgha area of Nangarhar province.
According to information obtained by Afghanistan News24, Afghan Taliban authorities, in cooperation with Pakistani border forces, are facilitating the transportation of commercial goods from Peshawar to Nangarhar province and subsequently to other parts of Afghanistan through an arrangement described as guaranteed delivery, despite the fact that the importation of these goods has reportedly been explicitly prohibited by the current Afghan authorities.
Local residents have raised questions about this practice, saying:
“If the Taliban can facilitate the transportation of Pakistani commercial goods into Afghanistan through illegal channels, why are all citizens not allowed to conduct legal trade with Pakistan?”
Urban Development, Returning Migrants and Healthcare Services
Residents of Jalalabad have also raised concerns about the challenges facing returning migrants, urban development, and healthcare services.
They say that despite the large-scale return of Afghan nationals from Pakistan, particularly to the eastern regions and Nangarhar province, the Taliban authorities have yet to implement any clear or comprehensive urban development programme to address the growing needs of the population.
Residents have also highlighted shortcomings in healthcare services. They claim that the number of staff working at health centres under the Nangarhar Public Health Directorate is insufficient and that patients are dissatisfied with the existing situation.
Conclusion
The lack of development projects in Kunar, Laghman, and Nangarhar provinces; the economic difficulties faced by former military personnel; restrictions on cross-border movement; the absence of representation in the governing structure; challenges facing commercial activities; and shortages in healthcare services are among the key issues about which residents of these eastern provinces have expressed concern.
The accounts gathered by Afghanistan News24 reflect the concerns of residents who believe that their communities are not receiving equal attention and treatment compared with other parts of the country.
