Several economic experts have described the shutdown of wireless internet—commonly known as Wi-Fi in Afghanistan—as a major blow to the country’s economy, warning that the measure will accelerate the migration of skilled professionals and further drive capital out of the country. According to them, the elimination of productive capacity, the collapse of small businesses, the growth of informal digital markets, and the rise of poverty and unemployment are among the other consequences of this ban.
Some specialists told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that restricting fiber optic internet is a significant setback for the country’s economy, undermining economic development, weakening the banking system, and calling Afghanistan’s credibility into question at the regional and global levels.
Mir Shekab Mir, an economic analyst, stated that the immediate effect of this decision will be slower banking transactions. He added that banks’ operating costs will also rise, leading to higher service fees, declining public trust, and the withdrawal of deposits. According to him, this could push the banking sector toward weakening, shrinking operations, and even bankruptcy.
The analyst further explained: “This situation also damages Afghanistan’s economic credibility at the regional and global levels, because investors evaluate infrastructure and the investment environment before entering the market.” He noted that cutting fiber optic internet will set back international communication benchmarks and ultimately result in slower economic growth, higher poverty, unemployment, and insecurity.
Mr. Mir emphasized: “Overall, this process constitutes a serious barrier to economic growth, the development of the private sector, the digitalization of services, and the reduction of operating costs.”
Siyar Quraishi, another economic expert, argued that shutting down the internet is not merely a technical issue, but rather a tool for controlling power, restricting women, and silencing young people. He said: “The matter is not purely technical; it can be used as a tool of control—such as limiting women or silencing youth—which in the end harms the economy.” According to him, experience has shown that people circumvent restrictions by using VPNs, just as in some African countries where SMS services were used to fill this gap.
Qutbuddin Yaqubi, also an economic analyst, believes that the internet is not only a simple means of communication, but one of the essential pillars of a society’s comprehensive growth and development. He stated: “With the shutdown of the internet, economic exchanges, commercial interactions, social communications, and the processes of education and training—all dependent on internet access—come to a halt, leaving people in darkness and ignorance.”
On September 16, 2025, the Taliban ordered the complete shutdown of fiber optic internet in Balkh province. Following this order, internet access has also been fully cut off in Paktika, Kandahar, Helmand, Herat, Uruzgan, Nimruz, Kunduz, Takhar, Badakhshan, and Baghlan provinces.
The Taliban regime has not officially commented on the decision. However, the group’s spokesperson in Balkh claimed the order was issued to prevent “immorality.” At the same time, many citizens and politicians have interpreted the move as evidence of the Taliban’s fear of the power of information-sharing, and as an attempt to conceal their widespread crimes and financial and moral corruption.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
از ضربه اقتصادی تا ابزار سرکوبگری؛ آگاهان: قطع انترنت بحران اقتصادی را شدیدتر میکند
