RASC News Agency: Government employees across Afghanistan’s western provinces report that they have not received their salaries for nearly two months, exacerbating their financial struggles as Eid al-Fitr approaches. With soaring living costs and ongoing economic instability, they are calling on the Taliban authorities to expedite their overdue payments. Speaking on condition of anonymity, these employees revealed that despite the conclusion (March), they have yet to receive their salaries for(February).
Shaghayegh Moradi (pseudonym), a government employee and the sole provider for a family of six, expressed her frustration: “Thirteen days into Ramadan, and we have yet to receive our salaries for March and February. We urge the authorities (Taliban) to disburse our wages immediately, as we are struggling to make ends meet.”
Similarly, Behzad Achakzai (pseudonym), another government employee, described the salary delays as a significant hardship: “It has been nearly two months since we last received our salaries. During this holy month of Ramadan, we are left with no choice but to borrow money to cover basic expenses. We call on the government (Taliban) to release our wages without further delay.” Employees warn that prolonged delays in salary payments have severely diminished their purchasing power. The sharp rise in food and fuel prices during the winter months has pushed many families into deeper financial distress.
So far, the Taliban government has remained silent on the matter. However, this is not the first time that government employees have faced such delays. According to multiple sources, salary disbursements have been repeatedly postponed since (December). The situation has been further aggravated by fluctuations in the kabuli rupee’s exchange rate against the US dollar, as well as the continued surge in the cost of essential commodities.