2 years of IEA, people’s views & demands

 KABUL (Pajhwok): A number of people commend stability and other developments in the country following the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)’s takeover, but they ask the caretaker government to reopen the gates of education centers to girls and create employment opportunities.

They say the caretaker government should interact with international community within the framework of Islamic principles, respect educated people and do away with biased attitude in government departments.

Pajhwok Afghan News asked the people through Facebook and Twitter about their views regarding the government’s performance during the past two years.

So far, 400 people have responded to this question in written, audio and video through WhatsApp, nearly 5,000 people liked this question on Facebook page and 29,000 people seen it on twitter page.

 In this report, Pajhwok collected people’s opinions relevant to the topic and did not include repeated and irrelevant views.

What the people say?

Fahim Taimor wrote: “Every system has many flaws, this is also true for the Islamic Emirate, if the previous government is compared with the current one, the IEA has achieved a lot in a short period of time. The previous regime had good international relations and financial support, but with the arrival of the IEA, everything was changed and sanctions imposed on the new government.”

 According to him, building a national and independent system, ensuring security, reconstruction of highways, securing budget from domestic revenues, working on the country’s mines, ending corruption, preventing gangs of criminals and reclaiming the state land are the achievements of the IEA.

In his opinion, the acting government has opened a new chapter of good relations with all countries and has made great progress in trade with some countries.

According to Taimor, the caretaker government has also some flaws as it has banned girls education and prevented women from work.

He said these problems should be resolved and the country’s cadres should be provided with work.

But another person, who did not reveal his name, wrote: “It has been two years since the Taliban are ruling Afghanistan, but so far they have not embraced the people, nor opened girls’ schools… They have not yet issued a constitution. They did not make any plans.”

Another person wrote: “In the past two years, security has strengthened and the number of deaths due to wars decreased to zero. After forty years, Afghanistan has a single central system, violence has disappeared, and the reconstruction works are expedited.”

He added: “But despite these achievements, there are some problems that should have been resolved in the past two years like allowing girls to go to high schools and universities.”

Another person, who also did not share his name, wrote: “The Islamic Emirate has deprived our innocent sisters of education and kept them in dark for two years. A large number of Afghans do not expect the Islamic Emirate to allow our sisters to resume education despite the fact that they wear hijab and have been Muslims for centuries.”

He wrote that economic problems and unemployment had increased in the past two years and people who previously worked in the government had lost their jobs and some had left the country on dangerous ways due to economic problems.

Abdul Wadood Hotak wrote the Islamic Emirate has achieved many things in the past two years especially in terms of maintaining security, controlling inflation and paying salaries of officials, but there are two challenges – girls education and unemployment — that the majority of people want to be solved soon.

Another person wrote: “We are 90 percent dissatisfied with the current rulers of Afghanistan because the people cannot do what they want, young people have migrated, girls’ schools [above sixth grade] are closed, there is no national flag, they should respect the people of Afghanistan and accept their demands.”

Nisar Ahmad Azizi wrote IEA had secured national and Islamic values.

He said: “Our homeland is secure> Al HamduLillah IEA has made many economic achievements over the past two years.

“Work on the Qush Tepa canal, reconstruction of highways, petroleum extraction and many urban projects has been completed.”

He added: “Most of drug addicts have been rounded up for rehabilitation and the Pul-i-Surkh area, once a hub of addicts, has been spruced up.”

The national currency had been in stable condition over the past two years, he said, adding beggars had been rounded up as well.

Azizi continued attempts were being made at national unity and the incumbent government had managed to create an organised national army.

Similarly, Yaqoob Wahidi acknowledged the security situation was remarkable with the completion IEA’s two years rule. But IEA members were still being appointed to government offices and other professionals were sidelined in the recruitment process.

Wahidi alleged: “They (Taliban) had recruited their own people to important positions and approved big privileges and salaries for jihadi figures. They have not amended the law on official payrolls of 2008. They call it Omari Justice, which is in fact a clear instance of injustice.”

Mehran, another citizen, hailed work on the Qush Tepa canal, reconstruction of the Kabul-Kandahar highway, Salang pass, extraction of mines, keeping the currency stable and developments in the business sector as admirable steps.

The interim administration must offer jobs to competent people and reopen schools for girls, he wrote.

But another individual, who did not identify himself, claimed the government had no achievement other than security.

Bakht Noor wrote: “One big problem is education for girls. I pray to Allah to solve this issue as well. Another problem is unemployment among people. I pray to God to enable IEA to address these issues.”

Another citizen said IEA, having many achievements to its credit, must also pay due attention to blind spots. Corruption in judicial organs is another problem, according to him.

Hashmatullah Zahid commented: “We have been satisfied with security during the past two years. But with the education of girls, we are not satisfied. There have been no employment opportunities for the people. Professional workers must be hired. There are no other problems.”

Arman wrote: “I ask the government to reopen schools for girls in accordance with fundamental teachings of Islam and international law and encourage the reopening of foreign embassies in Kabul. They must not interfere in people’s personal affairs.”

Safiullah Salik wrote: “The past two years were the darkest period in the history of Afghanistan. People are upset. Unemployment is on the rise. Schools and universities have been closed for girls — a big tragedy today.”

IEA spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, without commenting on people’s statements, had said earlier: “These are public demands. The government will hear them, evaluate them and implement every reasonable request.

“We have no issue with people’s demands. The caretaker government is trying to grant all genuine requests of the masses,” he concluded.

sa/ma/aw/mud