KABUL (SW) – Since the rise to power of the Taliban nearly a month ago, many citizens have been grappling with loss of jobs and livelihood across Afghanistan.
About four weeks following the departure of president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul, many citizens lost their jobs and are now struggling to make ends meet. A number of government employees are concerned about the closure of offices, saying that they are living in misery and have no hope for the future.
In conversation with Salam Watandar, these employees complained that they no longer have an income and are deprived of the monthly salary with which they could hardly provide for their families.
“I was the only breadwinner myself, I no longer have a job”, said Jamil Joya, an employee of a government entity. “I am unemployed now and despair is rippling, it is not clear what our future will look like. On the one hand, there is no work, and even if I want to work, there is no livelihood. Everything is ineffective. The situation is dire at the moment.”
Shah Mahmoud, another employee of a government agency, said many of his friends have gone to a foreign country, either through irregular means or legally, and a few who remained in Afghanistan have no desire to work in offices. “Therefore, we and others who worked in the office are unlucky, we have no job and no salary now.”
Setara, is a female employee who lost her job with the arrival of the Taliban. She said she had to turn to carpet weaving and handicrafts to make ends meet. “What we can do is to restart a handicraft or other work unit we stay at home so that at least we do not need to beg for food. Although, I studied for sixteen years, I also studied for a master’s degree, but with the arrival of the Taliban, everything went away.”
The Taliban, however, claim that the resumption of operations and the reopening of institutions would be time-consuming, and staff will have to wait until a new government is formed.
Although the Taliban have appointed supervisors in leadership positions at a number of departments and activities in some areas have returned to normal, but many institutions are still closed.
ENDS
