Several citizens in Afghanistan have complained about the Taliban’s obstruction in distributing electronic ID cards and the rising prices imposed by the group. Residents from Kabul and neighboring provinces say they have been waiting for months to receive their IDs but have been unsuccessful. They also report widespread corruption and bribery among Taliban officials in exchange for government services. Despite the Taliban’s repeated claims over the past three years of ensuring transparency in public service delivery, citizens argue that the group has not only failed to distribute electronic IDs and other legal services but has also played a significant role in spreading and promoting corruption.
Many residents of Kabul and surrounding provinces have visited the relevant authorities multiple times to obtain their electronic National IDs. However, they say that the Taliban’s obstruction, abuse of power, bribery, and intermediary dealings have prevented them from receiving their IDs. These citizens accuse the Taliban of incompetence in the electronic ID distribution process and of engaging in extortion.
Hafizullah, a Kabul resident, explains that he completed the process of obtaining his electronic ID in June of this year but has still not received it. He says, “My family and I completed our documents and biometric registration in June, but our IDs have not arrived. I have visited the ID distribution center several times and asked about the issue, but no one provided a clear answer. They just told me to wait for the ID to arrive.”
Mahmoud, another Kabul resident, faces a similar problem. He states that the Taliban has made obtaining an electronic ID mandatory in some departments but has simultaneously made the process lengthy and time-consuming, leaving citizens in limbo. He adds, “It’s been more than three months since I completed my biometric registration, but my ID has not arrived. I’ve visited the Karte Parwan Electronic ID Distribution Center multiple times, but my name was not on the list. I also saw others who have been waiting for more than four months, but their IDs have not been printed.”
Some citizens accuse the Taliban of promoting corruption and bribery, asserting that, contrary to their claims, the group is deeply “corrupt” and focused on looting public assets.
An anonymous source, who is well-informed on the matter, says the Taliban is involved in widespread administrative and financial corruption at all levels. The source adds that Taliban members are attempting to purchase more properties, build luxurious homes, and even transfer money to neighboring countries to buy properties for themselves.
Moreover, the inflated price of electronic IDs has become another significant challenge for citizens. They emphasize that the Taliban has raised the price of an electronic ID from 100 Afghanis to 500 Afghanis. This fivefold increase in the cost of the electronic ID, amid the ongoing economic crisis, has placed additional pressure on the public.
The time-consuming process of obtaining an electronic ID is not the only challenge citizens face. The high price of the ID has also become a point of complaint. According to citizens, the Taliban has substantially increased prices in various sectors such as distributing paper IDs, converting paper IDs into electronic ones, and issuing electronic IDs—all to boost the group’s revenue.
A resident of Ghazni, who requested anonymity, shared with the Hasht-e Subh Daily that he applied for electronic IDs for all his family members, but due to the high cost, he was only able to pay for three IDs. He said, “The price of the ID is very high. I’m a teacher, and my family consists of eight members. I obtained forms for all of them, but on the day of biometric registration, I could only afford to pay for three IDs.”
While the Taliban has raised the price of electronic ID, many citizens continue to face severe economic hardships since the group’s takeover. Meanwhile, the Taliban appears to be exploiting the situation by extorting citizens and increasing its revenue.
According to data published by the Taliban’s Statistics and Information Department, 8 million Afghan citizens have received electronic IDs over the past three years. Additionally, more than 14.2 million electronic IDs have been issued since the start of the distribution process.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
کارشکنی و اضافهستانی طالبان؛ متقاضیان از تاخیر در طی مراحل و بهای بلند تذکره شکایت دارند
