Several owners of real estate brokerage offices are criticizing the Taliban’s interference in their operations. According to them, Taliban intelligence and the Ministry of Justice are the institutions most involved in interfering with these offices’ affairs. These owners say that most Taliban members rent houses but either fail to pay the rent or pay it with delay. They add that a large portion of property owners live outside the country, but the Taliban have ordered that only the original owner can rent, sell, or mortgage their property. According to them, Taliban intelligence also tries, under the pretext of reviewing documents, to force brokers to pay bribes. Meanwhile, several citizens also complain about the Taliban’s requirement that property owners be personally present to carry out transactions, saying this restriction has halted many deals.
Ebadullah Ahmadi (pseudonym), one of the owners of a real estate brokerage office, complains about Taliban interference in his work. He says they are under heavy pressure from government institutions controlled by the Taliban.
Mr. Ahmadi adds: “Among the institutions that interfere in the work of real estate brokers are Taliban intelligence, through a department called the Regional Passport Department, the group’s Ministry of Justice, and the Directorate of Regional Coordination and Control of Security Zones.” According to him, brokers are viewed negatively among the public and even within Taliban offices, where they are referred to with terms such as “deceiver,” “profiteer,” and “commission agent.”
This broker adds: “Most people assume that brokers are responsible for the rise in house rents, while our job is only to mediate between the owner and the tenant and to help the two sides reach an agreement.” According to Ebadullah, one of the main reasons for the shortage of houses and apartments for rent is the restrictions the Taliban have imposed.
Mr. Ahmadi says: “Most property owners are outside the country, but the Taliban have enacted a law under which only the original owner or their Sharia-sanctioned legal representative has the right to rent, sell, conditionally sell, or mortgage the property. Even the owner’s father, child, brother, or spouse does not have the right to do so without a Sharia-sanctioned power of attorney.”
This broker cites another reason for the housing shortage: the conduct of certain Taliban members. He says: “Most Taliban members rent houses, but either do not pay the rent, pay it late, or severely damage the house when they vacate it. As a result, many owners are no longer willing to rent out their houses.” According to him, the destruction of houses by the Taliban, the large-scale return of migrants, and restrictions on construction are among the other factors driving up rents.
Omar (pseudonym), another owner of a real estate brokerage office, also complains about pressure from Taliban security institutions. He says: “The Regional Passport Department of Taliban intelligence issues illegal orders to brokerage offices under the pretext of reviewing documents, and through pressure, tries to force brokers to pay bribes.”
Omar adds: “If Taliban members themselves want to rent a house, they ask brokers to find one whose owner is not in the country. They have taken dozens of houses this way and live in them without paying rent. Many of these houses have also been sealed by the Office of Administrative Affairs because the original owner is not present in the country. In such cases, even the owner’s son, brother, father, spouse, or other relatives do not have the right to rent out the house.”
This broker claims: “If a person affiliated with the Taliban rents a house, the Regional Passport Department and other relevant offices conduct no review at all, but for ordinary citizens, dozens of obstacles are created. People returning to the country from abroad are also monitored by intelligence and cannot easily rent a house.” He also criticizes the conduct of street representatives and local representatives, saying: “Street representatives and neighborhood representatives demand money or ‘sweets’ to verify documents and stamp the papers of tenants and owners, which has also discouraged brokers.”
Omar says: “A person invests money to obtain a real estate brokerage license and, after great difficulty, receives an operating license from the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice. But that same Ministry of Justice sometimes seals his office over the smallest pretext and revokes his license, forcing him to apply for a license all over again and pay the group’s official fees once more.”
Meanwhile, Reza (pseudonym), one of the people seeking a rental house, says some brokerage offices take advantage of the housing shortage. He says, “In many cases, brokers show the same house or apartment to several people at the same time. Since housing is scarce, several people apply for the same house, and in the end, it is given to whoever pays an additional amount as ‘sweets’ or extra money.”
Reza adds: “This is especially common in mortgage-style transactions. This money is collected from applicants in addition to the broker’s official commission and is paid to the brokerage office.” According to Reza, this practice has created major problems for poor and needy families.
Zahra (pseudonym) says that after taking a house as a mortgage, the Taliban have not allowed her to move her belongings in or live there. She says: “I took a three-room house as a mortgage for $20,000, arranged with one of the owner’s relatives,s and carried out online. All the procedures and related documents have been completed, but now the Taliban will not let me move my belongings into the house. They say the owner himself must be present, while the owner lives in the United States and will not come to Afghanistan to hand over the house.” Expressing concern, she says, “I have lost my money, and all my belongings are sitting in the street. The owner has even introduced a legal representative, but the Taliban do not accept him either. I am genuinely worried now and do not know what to do.”
Osman (pseudonym) says that a few years ago, he took out a mortgage for $15,000, but now, because of Taliban restrictions, he cannot get his money back. He says, “A few years ago, I took out a mortgage for $ 15,000 on a house. Now, the country I had applied to immigrate to has asked my family and me to go to Pakistan for an interview. I asked the owner to return my money, but he says I should mortgage the house to someone else to get my money back. However, the Taliban do not allow this and say the owner himself must be present.” Expressing concern, he adds: “My interview date and immigration process are nearing their end, and I urgently need this money, but my capital is effectively frozen. Many people are willing to take this house as a mortgage, but the Taliban will not allow me to hand it over to someone else.”
It is worth noting that several Kabul residents recently told the Hasht-e Subh Daily in interviews that rental houses have become extremely scarce, while prices have risen significantly at the same time.
Some tenants had added that house owners are raising prices in collusion with the Taliban, since this allows the Taliban to collect more in taxes.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
سوءاستفاده از ملکیتهای مردم؛ چگونه طالبان معاملات خانه را فلج کردهاند؟
