MAZAR-E-SHARIF (SW) – Daily wage laborers in Mazar-e-Sharif say they are getting no work for days resulting in poverty and hunger.
After the recent security and political developments in Afghanistan in the past two years, the unemployment rate in the country has increased to an unprecedented level. A long line of daily wage workers at the intersections of Mazar-e Sharif city, the center of Balkh, these days shows the image of poverty and unemployment more than anything else.
Daily wage workers at the intersections of Mazar-i-Sharif say that they spend hours every day looking for work, but it has been many days without any job and income for them. Some of these workers, who have come to Balkh from Faryab to find work, told Salam Watandar that along with their bad economic situation, unemployment has also reached its peak.
Atiqullah, a daily wage worker who came to Balkh from Faryab, says: “I came from Faryab province to work, but one day there is some work, but nothing for ten or more days. We pay room rent every day, but we have no income. One person who comes to hire a laborer, hundreds of people rush towards him.”
Shir Ahmad, a daily wage worker in Mazar-i-Sharif, said: “It used to be good, we went to work every day, but these days there is no work even one day a week. From morning to night, we wait with dry lips and mouth, and then we go home again empty handed.”
Criticizing the lack of job opportunities, these workers ask the caretaker government of the Islamic Emirate to provide them with permanent employment by establishing industrial companies and factories.
Sayed Mohammad, a daily wage worker in Mazar-e-Sharif, says about his requests from the government: “Our request from the government is to find a permanent job. It is not a problem if it gives me a little income, we just need to find the money for one brea on regular basis.”
Ahmad Fahim, another daily wage worker in Mazar-e-Sharif, also says about his requests from the government: “Our request from the current government is to provide work, we have no more requests. The price has reached its peak, we are waiting for work for days, but we go home without any income.”
However, the officials in the Department of Labor and Social Affairs of Balkh say that they are trying to attract daily workers to implement development plans.
Nasir Ahmad Abu Khaled, head of labor and social affairs department, says: “We are trying to get the youth who are working in the streets to be employed in infrastructure and development projects. “We are working in coordination with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.”
Unemployment has been a serious challenge for Afghan citizens for many years, and this situation has caused many young people to take dangerous and irregular migration routes.
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