Afghanistan: General News and Discussion
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ghazi52
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Bank Alfalah advances exit from Afghanistan as central banks clear due diligence
BR Web Desk
January 7, 2026
Bank Alfalah Limited (BAFL), one of Pakistan’s largest commercial banks, has taken a step forward in the proposed divestment of its Afghanistan operations, as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Central Bank of Afghanistan have granted regulatory approvals enabling Ghazanfar Bank to commence due diligence.
The listed bank disclosed the development in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday.
“We refer to our letter dated 4th December 2025, wherein PSX was informed about the non-binding offer received by Bank Alfalah Limited from Ghazanfar Bank, Afghanistan, to acquire BAFL’s Afghanistan operations and business.
“In this regard, the SBP has granted its in-principle approval/clearance for the intended buyer, Ghazanfar Bank, to commence due diligence of BAFL’s Afghanistan operations,” read the notice.
Further, the Central Bank of Afghanistan has also granted its approval to Ghazanfar Bank to commence due diligence.
“Accordingly, BAFL will allow Ghazanfar Bank to proceed with the due diligence process,” it added.
Industry analysts say Bank Alfalah, one of the country’s largest private banks, has maintained a presence in Afghanistan for several years, and any potential divestment would mark a significant strategic shift.
Meanwhile, the transaction will be subject to “satisfactory completion of the due diligence, execution of definitive agreements, compliance with all applicable laws/regulations and receipt of all necessary regulatory/legal approvals from the relevant authorities of Pakistan and Afghanistan”.
ghazi52
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Afghanistan’s health minister urges support for locally produced medicines
by The Frontier Post
KABUL (TOLONews): The Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, emphasized in a meeting aimed at sharing monitoring results with the private health sector that priority must be given to domestically produced medicines.
Jalali stated that supporting local pharmaceutical production not only leads Afghanistan toward self-sufficiency but also plays a crucial role in the country’s economic growth.
He further added that efforts must be made to eliminate handwritten prescriptions.
“The practice of medicine should be separate from business,” said Jalali. “Those who discredit the medical profession should not be allowed to operate. My request is that digital prescriptions replace handwritten ones.”
During the same meeting, officials from the Ministry of Public Health assured that they are working to provide better healthcare services to the citizens of the country.
Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister for Healthcare Services, stated: “We believe that progress in the health sector can only be guaranteed when both the private and public sectors operate under unified principles and clear standards.”
Ahmad Khandan, Director of Regulation and Coordination of the Private Sector at the Ministry of Public Health, said: “Since the Islamic Emirate took power in Afghanistan, 68 hospitals have been officially registered and licensed with us, and the number of operational hospitals has increased in other provinces as well.”
Earlier, during his visit to India, Minister Jalali had stated that multimillion-dollar agreements had been reached between Afghanistan and India in the field of health and pharmaceuticals. Indian officials also assured support in meeting Afghanistan’s medical needs and easing the visa issuance process.
hydrabadi_arab
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In the dull glow of a single bulb lighting their tent on the outskirts of Kabul, Samiullah and his wife Bibi Rehana sit down to dry bread and tea, their only meal of the day, accompanied by their five children and three-month-old grandchild.
“We have reached a point where we are content with death,” said 55-year-old Samiullah, whose family, including two older sons aged 18 and 20 and their wives, is among the millions deported by neighbouring countries in the past year.
“Day by day, things are getting worse,” he added, after their return to a war-torn nation where the United Nations’ World Food Programme estimates 17 million battle acute hunger after massive cuts in international aid.
“Whatever happens to us has happened, but at least our children’s lives should be better.” He was one of the returned Afghans speaking before protests in Iran sparked a massive crackdown by the government.
Samiullah said his family went virtually overnight from its modest home in Iran to their makeshift tent, partially propped up by rocks and rubble, after a raid by Iranian authorities led to their arrests and then deportation.
They salvaged a few belongings but were not able to carry out all their savings, which would have carried them through the winter, Samiullah added.
Reuters was unable to reach authorities in Iran for comment.
“Migrants who are newly returning to the country receive assistance as much as possible,” said Afghan administration spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, in areas from transport to housing, healthcare and food.
It was impossible to eradicate poverty quickly in a country that suffered 40 years of conflict and the loss of all its revenue and resources, he added in a statement, despite an extensive rebuilding effort.
“Economic programmes take time and do not have an immediate impact on people’s lives.”
The WFP says Iran and Pakistan have expelled more than 2.5m Afghans in massive repatriation programs.
Tehran ramped up deportations last year amid a flurry of accusations that they were spying for Israel. Authorities blamed the expulsions on concerns about security and resources.
Islamabad accelerated deportations amid accusations that the Taliban was harbouring militants responsible for cross-border attacks on Pakistani soil, allegations Afghanistan has denied.
As winter spreads across Afghanistan’s arid landscape, work opportunities have dried up, while the wave of returning Afghans has swelled the population by a tenth, said John Aylieff, the WFP’s country director.
“Many of these Afghans were working in Iran and Pakistan and they were sending back remittances,” he told Reuters, adding that 3m more people now face acute hunger. “Those remittances were a lifeline for Afghanistan.”
Cuts to global programmes since United States President Donald Trump returned to the White House have sapped the resources of organisations such as the WFP, while other donor countries have also scaled back, putting millions at risk worldwide.
“Last year was the biggest malnutrition surge ever recorded in Afghanistan and sadly the prediction is that it’s going to get worse,” added Aylieff, estimating that 200,000 more children would suffer acute malnutrition in 2026.
At the WFP’s aid distribution site in Bamiyan, about 180km from Kabul, the capital, there are stacks of rice bags and jugs of palm oil, while wheelbarrows trundle in more food, but it is still too little for the long queues of people.
“I am forced to manage the winter with these supplies; sometimes we eat, sometimes we don’t,” said Zahra Ahmadi, 50, a widowed mother of eight daughters, as she received aid for the first time.
At the Qasaba Clinic in the capital, mothers soothed their children during the wait for medicine and supplements.
“Compared to the time when there were no migrants, the number of our patients has now doubled,” said Dr. Rabia Rahimi Yadgari.
The clinic treats about 30 cases of malnutrition each day but the supplements are not sufficient to sustain the families, who previously relied on WFP aid and hospital support, she said.
Laila, 30, said her son, Abdul Rahman, showed signs of recovery after taking the supplements.
“But after some time, he loses the weight again,” she said.
After the Taliban takeover, she said, “My husband lost his (government) job, and gradually our economic situation collapsed. Life never remains the same.”
The United States led a hasty withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in July 2021, after 20 years of war against the Taliban, opening the doors for the Islamists to take control of Kabul.
As dusk gathers and the temperature falls, Samiullah brings in firewood and Bibi Rehama lights a stove for warmth.
“At night, when it gets very cold, my children say, ‘Father, I’m cold, I’m freezing.’ I hold them in my arms and say, ‘It’s OK.’ What choice do we have?” Samiullah said.
“(When) I worked in Iran, at least I could provide a full meal. Here, there is neither work nor livelihood.”
“We have reached a point where we are content with death,” said 55-year-old Samiullah, whose family, including two older sons aged 18 and 20 and their wives, is among the millions deported by neighbouring countries in the past year.
“Day by day, things are getting worse,” he added, after their return to a war-torn nation where the United Nations’ World Food Programme estimates 17 million battle acute hunger after massive cuts in international aid.
“Whatever happens to us has happened, but at least our children’s lives should be better.” He was one of the returned Afghans speaking before protests in Iran sparked a massive crackdown by the government.
Samiullah said his family went virtually overnight from its modest home in Iran to their makeshift tent, partially propped up by rocks and rubble, after a raid by Iranian authorities led to their arrests and then deportation.
They salvaged a few belongings but were not able to carry out all their savings, which would have carried them through the winter, Samiullah added.
Reuters was unable to reach authorities in Iran for comment.
“Migrants who are newly returning to the country receive assistance as much as possible,” said Afghan administration spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, in areas from transport to housing, healthcare and food.
It was impossible to eradicate poverty quickly in a country that suffered 40 years of conflict and the loss of all its revenue and resources, he added in a statement, despite an extensive rebuilding effort.
“Economic programmes take time and do not have an immediate impact on people’s lives.”
The WFP says Iran and Pakistan have expelled more than 2.5m Afghans in massive repatriation programs.
Tehran ramped up deportations last year amid a flurry of accusations that they were spying for Israel. Authorities blamed the expulsions on concerns about security and resources.
Islamabad accelerated deportations amid accusations that the Taliban was harbouring militants responsible for cross-border attacks on Pakistani soil, allegations Afghanistan has denied.
As winter spreads across Afghanistan’s arid landscape, work opportunities have dried up, while the wave of returning Afghans has swelled the population by a tenth, said John Aylieff, the WFP’s country director.
“Many of these Afghans were working in Iran and Pakistan and they were sending back remittances,” he told Reuters, adding that 3m more people now face acute hunger. “Those remittances were a lifeline for Afghanistan.”
Cuts to global programmes since United States President Donald Trump returned to the White House have sapped the resources of organisations such as the WFP, while other donor countries have also scaled back, putting millions at risk worldwide.
“Last year was the biggest malnutrition surge ever recorded in Afghanistan and sadly the prediction is that it’s going to get worse,” added Aylieff, estimating that 200,000 more children would suffer acute malnutrition in 2026.
At the WFP’s aid distribution site in Bamiyan, about 180km from Kabul, the capital, there are stacks of rice bags and jugs of palm oil, while wheelbarrows trundle in more food, but it is still too little for the long queues of people.
“I am forced to manage the winter with these supplies; sometimes we eat, sometimes we don’t,” said Zahra Ahmadi, 50, a widowed mother of eight daughters, as she received aid for the first time.
At the Qasaba Clinic in the capital, mothers soothed their children during the wait for medicine and supplements.
“Compared to the time when there were no migrants, the number of our patients has now doubled,” said Dr. Rabia Rahimi Yadgari.
The clinic treats about 30 cases of malnutrition each day but the supplements are not sufficient to sustain the families, who previously relied on WFP aid and hospital support, she said.
Laila, 30, said her son, Abdul Rahman, showed signs of recovery after taking the supplements.
“But after some time, he loses the weight again,” she said.
After the Taliban takeover, she said, “My husband lost his (government) job, and gradually our economic situation collapsed. Life never remains the same.”
The United States led a hasty withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in July 2021, after 20 years of war against the Taliban, opening the doors for the Islamists to take control of Kabul.
As dusk gathers and the temperature falls, Samiullah brings in firewood and Bibi Rehama lights a stove for warmth.
“At night, when it gets very cold, my children say, ‘Father, I’m cold, I’m freezing.’ I hold them in my arms and say, ‘It’s OK.’ What choice do we have?” Samiullah said.
“(When) I worked in Iran, at least I could provide a full meal. Here, there is neither work nor livelihood.”
hussain0216
Elite Member
Don't care one tiny bit about afghans
They are the same as Hindus and Jews to me
They are the same as Hindus and Jews to me
ghazi52
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$30m new cold storage facility opens in Kabul to boost agriculture
by The Frontier Post
KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MoAIL) has inaugurated a new cold storage facility in Kabul, saying it will help reduce agricultural waste, cut imports, and strengthen the economy.
In a post on X, the ministry stated: “A fresh fruit cold storage facility, named ‘Habib Jamalzai Cold Storage’, with a capacity of 3,000 metric tonnes, has been inaugurated at a cost of 30 million US dollars on six jeribs (three acres) of land in the Deh Sabz Industrial Park, Kabul Province.”
According to the ministry, the facility was officially opened in the presence of Mawlawi Sadr Azam Osmani, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, along with officials from the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, the Agricultural Development Fund, and local authorities.
Speaking at the ceremony, the deputy minister emphasised the importance of establishing large, standardised cold storage facilities, noting that such infrastructure can prevent crop losses during harvest seasons and represents a critical need for farmers, traders, and citizens.
He also called on the private sector to increase investment in this area.
Meanwhile, Khan Mohammad Frotan, head of the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, described cold storage facilities as essential for reducing imports, preserving the quality and safety of agricultural products, and strengthening the national economy.
He added that these projects also play a significant role in creating employment opportunities.
Frotan further noted that nearly 110 small and large cold storage facilities have been newly established, renovated, and put into operation in Kabul this year.
ghazi52
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Japan pledges $19.5m in aid to Afghanistan
by The Frontier Post
KABUL (Pajhwok): Japan’s Ambassador to Kabul has announced that his country has approved $19.5 million in assistance for Afghanistan, to be allocated to refugee support and other humanitarian programmes.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) stated on X that Minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir met with Japan’s newly appointed Ambassador, Masamoto Kenichi, in Kabul.
Kenichi stated that since the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Tokyo has provided $550 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan through United Nations agencies.
This support has covered areas such as humanitarian relief, refugee assistance, alternative livelihoods, healthcare, water supply, women’s empowerment, and other sectors.
He also praised the IEA’s achievements in combating narcotics, reducing administrative corruption, and enhancing overall security and emphasised that Japan would continue its cooperation with Afghanistan.
ghazi52
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Snow, heavy rain kill 61 in three days in Afghanistan
- A total of 360 families have been affected, says ANDMA spokesman
KABUL: Snow and heavy rain have killed 61 people in Afghanistan in the last three days, the disaster management authority (ANDMA) said on Saturday.
The deaths occurred between Wednesday and Friday, mainly in central and northern provinces of the country, according to a map released by ANDMA.
The “initial figures of casualties and destruction” also include 110 injured people and 458 houses either partially or fully destroyed, ANDMA said on X.
A total of 360 families have been affected, a spokesman said in a video message, asking people to avoid unnecessary travel on snowy roads.
The Salang highway, one of Afghanistan’s main roads, has been closed, the provincial authority for Parwan said.
Food supplies were distributed to travellers stuck on a mountain pass in the central Bamyan province.
ghazi52
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Objection to Islamic laws deemed crime, critics to face justice: MoJ
by The Frontier Post
KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on Wednesday announced that all legislative documents of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) are fully based on the Quran, the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and authoritative Hanafi jurisprudence and individuals who object to these laws will be referred to judicial and legal organs.
The MoJ said the IEA’s legislative documents are drafted and extracted by multiple committees of senior Afghan scholars at the level of each relevant ministry and department, the MoJ, the Supreme Court, and the Office of the Leader of the IEA, using the Quran, the Sunnah, and authoritative Hanafi jurisprudence texts.
The source stated that these legislative documents are repeatedly reviewed to ensure their conformity with Islamic Sharia and are then submitted to the Leader of the IEA for approval.
The MoJ wrote that no article, clause, section, paragraph, or ruling in the IEA’s legislative documents is inconsistent with Islamic Sharia or lacks a Sharia source; rather, all provisions fully comply with Sharia. Therefore, objection to them is considered objection to Sharia itself.
The Ministry added that such objections have no Sharia or scholarly basis and arise from ignorance or neglect. Under Sharia, they are considered a crime, and individuals who object to these laws will be referred to judicial and legal authorities for prosecution.
Asfandyar Bhittani
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Taliban have spent nearly half of public expenditure on security in the first nine months of the 2025 fiscal year, while the economy faced mounting pressures from falling incomes, migrant returns and trade disruptions, the World Bank said in its latest assessment.
In its December 2025 Afghanistan Economic Monitor, the World Bank said security-related expenditure reached 96.9 billion Afghanis ($1.4 billion), accounting for 47.8% of total spending during the period, while development spending remained limited at 15.7 billion Afghanis despite a year-on-year increase.
Total government expenditure reached 202.9 billion Afghanis ($3.12 billion) in the first nine months of the fiscal year, slightly exceeding revenues of 200.9 billion Afghanis and resulting in a fiscal deficit of about 2.0 billion Afghanis, equivalent to 0.1% of gross domestic product, the report said.
The World Bank warned that Afghanistan’s economy continues to struggle under growing challenges, including the return of migrants, prolonged border closures with Pakistan and weak private investment that is limiting productivity growth. It projected that per capita GDP would fall by around 4% in fiscal year 2025, keeping poverty widespread.
Inflation pressures intensified in late 2025, with headline inflation rising to 4.7% year-on-year in November, up from 3% in October, driven by higher food and non-food prices. Food inflation was fuelled by sharp increases in the prices of fresh and dried fruits and cereals, while non-food inflation was led by rising housing and health costs, the report said.
Housing inflation rose as rental demand increased amid the continued return of migrants, while health-related prices jumped following the rerouting of medicine imports after Pakistan border closures disrupted traditional supply routes, according to the World Bank.
The Afghan currency continued to strengthen, appreciating modestly against the U.S. dollar in December and recording a year-on-year gain of nearly 6%, supported by market stability and relatively lower inflation compared with key trading partners. However, the World Bank said the real effective exchange rate showed signs of eroding price competitiveness in the short term.
Trade imbalances widened sharply, with the cumulative trade deficit reaching $8.5 billion in the first nine months of fiscal year 2025, equivalent to 39% of annual GDP, up from $7.1 billion in the same period a year earlier. The deterioration was driven by robust import demand and higher transport and logistics costs linked to trade rerouting.
Exports fell sharply in December, dropping 25% month-on-month and 15% year-on-year to $162 million, largely due to border disruptions with Pakistan. Food products accounted for 84% of total exports during the fiscal year to date, increasing Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate shocks and price volatility, the report said.
India emerged as Afghanistan’s largest export destination, accounting for more than 61% of exports in December and 43% cumulatively during the fiscal year, while Pakistan’s share continued to decline. Uzbekistan increased its share of Afghan exports to 7.7%, reflecting growing reliance on alternative regional markets.
Imports remained resilient despite trade disruptions, rising 5% year-on-year in December to $1.2 billion, supported by increased inflows from Iran and Central Asia. Over the first nine months of the fiscal year, total imports rose 16% to $9.9 billion, driven by higher demand for raw materials, machinery and transport equipment.
Domestic revenue collection remained relatively strong, rising 15.1% year-on-year to 200.9 billion Afghanis in the first nine months of fiscal year 2025, supported by improved tax enforcement and customs administration despite revenue losses at Pakistan-facing border crossings, the World Bank said.
The report said subsidies and transfers increased significantly, reflecting higher assistance to returnees, earthquake-affected households and vulnerable families, but warned that Afghanistan’s heavy reliance on security spending, weak investment and external vulnerabilities continued to pose serious risks to sustainable growth and living standards.
In its December 2025 Afghanistan Economic Monitor, the World Bank said security-related expenditure reached 96.9 billion Afghanis ($1.4 billion), accounting for 47.8% of total spending during the period, while development spending remained limited at 15.7 billion Afghanis despite a year-on-year increase.
Total government expenditure reached 202.9 billion Afghanis ($3.12 billion) in the first nine months of the fiscal year, slightly exceeding revenues of 200.9 billion Afghanis and resulting in a fiscal deficit of about 2.0 billion Afghanis, equivalent to 0.1% of gross domestic product, the report said.
The World Bank warned that Afghanistan’s economy continues to struggle under growing challenges, including the return of migrants, prolonged border closures with Pakistan and weak private investment that is limiting productivity growth. It projected that per capita GDP would fall by around 4% in fiscal year 2025, keeping poverty widespread.
Inflation pressures intensified in late 2025, with headline inflation rising to 4.7% year-on-year in November, up from 3% in October, driven by higher food and non-food prices. Food inflation was fuelled by sharp increases in the prices of fresh and dried fruits and cereals, while non-food inflation was led by rising housing and health costs, the report said.
Housing inflation rose as rental demand increased amid the continued return of migrants, while health-related prices jumped following the rerouting of medicine imports after Pakistan border closures disrupted traditional supply routes, according to the World Bank.
The Afghan currency continued to strengthen, appreciating modestly against the U.S. dollar in December and recording a year-on-year gain of nearly 6%, supported by market stability and relatively lower inflation compared with key trading partners. However, the World Bank said the real effective exchange rate showed signs of eroding price competitiveness in the short term.
Trade imbalances widened sharply, with the cumulative trade deficit reaching $8.5 billion in the first nine months of fiscal year 2025, equivalent to 39% of annual GDP, up from $7.1 billion in the same period a year earlier. The deterioration was driven by robust import demand and higher transport and logistics costs linked to trade rerouting.
Exports fell sharply in December, dropping 25% month-on-month and 15% year-on-year to $162 million, largely due to border disruptions with Pakistan. Food products accounted for 84% of total exports during the fiscal year to date, increasing Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate shocks and price volatility, the report said.
India emerged as Afghanistan’s largest export destination, accounting for more than 61% of exports in December and 43% cumulatively during the fiscal year, while Pakistan’s share continued to decline. Uzbekistan increased its share of Afghan exports to 7.7%, reflecting growing reliance on alternative regional markets.
Imports remained resilient despite trade disruptions, rising 5% year-on-year in December to $1.2 billion, supported by increased inflows from Iran and Central Asia. Over the first nine months of the fiscal year, total imports rose 16% to $9.9 billion, driven by higher demand for raw materials, machinery and transport equipment.
Domestic revenue collection remained relatively strong, rising 15.1% year-on-year to 200.9 billion Afghanis in the first nine months of fiscal year 2025, supported by improved tax enforcement and customs administration despite revenue losses at Pakistan-facing border crossings, the World Bank said.
The report said subsidies and transfers increased significantly, reflecting higher assistance to returnees, earthquake-affected households and vulnerable families, but warned that Afghanistan’s heavy reliance on security spending, weak investment and external vulnerabilities continued to pose serious risks to sustainable growth and living standards.
