Delayed salaries dampen Eid ul Adha for Afghan civil servants

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KABUL: Abd al -Abor, like many Afghan public sector workers, are struggling to fulfill the Eid -ul -Fitr, which they are unable to bear new clothes that they usually buy for their children because he is waiting for a delayed salary.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the government has faced repeated challenges in payment of government employees, and families have been left in organs in the midst of a massive financial difficulties in one of the poorest countries in the world.

“We just bought cookies and dried fruits for Eid,” Saboor said.

The greatest holidays of Islamic piety, Eid -ul -Dha – which begins on Saturday – is celebrated with the sacrifice of a shared animal between the family, neighbors and the needy, when God instead offered a sheep, before he was honored to sacrifice his son.

The 45 -year -old man working for the Rural Development Department of the Provincial Government was relieved of cash last week in a two -month salary, but he paid the money directly to the shops, which he rely on for credit.

“We could not go to some shopkeepers, we were ashamed,” he told AFP.

According to the UN, Afghanistan has faced major economic challenges since 2021 and is facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world, according to the UN.

The World Bank said in a April report, “Delays in paying wages and salaries indicate permanent liquidity barriers and wider challenges to ensure timely government spending.”

Despite the signs of recovery, the economic approach is “uncertain”, the bank said, with “growing financial pressure”, expanding trade deficit and suffering from poverty.

Public sector workers faced similar struggles in March, at the end of the month of Ramadan’s holy month, some delayed salary was received before the Eid -ul -Fitr holidays.

‘Complete the end’

The Ministry of Finance said that this week it is in the process of paying for two months of compensation to all government employees, explaining without delay or saying whether future wages will be paid on time.

Spokesman Ahmed Wali Haqal told AFP on Tuesday that from the beginning of June, “almost all departments have received their salaries for two months”.

The Taliban government has not made its current budget public – but experts say security spending has been preferred at the expense of other departments.

On Wednesday morning, a Central Kabul Bank was filled with government employees who were screaming for a salary before the Eid holidays.

In Kandahar City, government compensation workers also thanked me for paying something, standing in line to collect their money.

Hayatullah, a 21 -year -old Taliban teacher, said he had received only a month’s salary.

He refused to give his full name for fear of retaliation, “We will try to make efforts.” “But we can’t afford Eid expenses.”

‘Children’s expectations’

Last year, the government reduced the salaries of women’s staff who were forced to stay at home because the Taliban seized power and prevented them from working in mixed offices.

In recent months, jobs have been cut off from other departments, though government spokesman Zabiyaullah Mujahid said in April that reducing staff was a “common” process that aims to improve performance.

Mohammed, who works for a government office in the stare and did not want to give his real name for fear of retaliation, said he had already spent his salary to lend to shopkeepers and had nothing left for Eid celebrations.

“We received a salary for two months too late and we had a lot of problems during this period,” he said.

“Eid is coming and when there is no money, it is really disturbing-children’s expectations, family expectations and Eid day costs,” which is going to win the only bread for 10 people.

“My family has to wait.”