RASC News Agency: A group of retirees has once again taken to the streets to protest the non-payment of their pensions, demanding that their long-overdue entitlements be paid immediately. These former employees are urging the Taliban government to address their plight, as they have been waiting for three years without receiving any pension payments.
Facing severe economic hardships, the retirees are pleading for urgent action. Ali Ahmad, a retired worker, shared his distress, saying, “We are living in abject poverty and desperation. Some of my fellow retirees have even been forced to beg to survive.” Abdul Wasi, another retiree, described his dire situation: “I’ve packed my belongings because my landlord says it’s been three years since I paid rent. I’m responsible for three orphans, but I don’t have the money to pay for the rent.”
Others warned that their already difficult circumstances would worsen if their pensions continued to be withheld. Zarifa, a retired woman, pleaded, “We request the Islamic Emirate to pay our pensions. We are struggling we have rent to pay, sick family members to care for, and now our belongings are out in the courtyard.” Abdul Khaliq, another retiree, expressed his frustration: “I have never stolen a single rupee, never taken a bribe, nor engaged in any wrongdoing. Many offered me opportunities to do things that would get me to America, but I refused. I didn’t betray my country. Those who did have left, while those of us who remain here are poor and desperate.”
Despite these heartfelt appeals, the Taliban have yet to respond to the retirees’ demands. Previously, the Deputy Administrative Chief of the Prime Minister’s Office told “Tolo News” in an exclusive interview that the issue of retirees had been addressed by the group’s leader and would be resolved through a specific mechanism.