Recent developments from Kabul and Gardez have once again exposed the glaring incompetence, administrative chaos, and disconnect of the Taliban-led Afghan government from the suffering of its people.
In Kabul, a group of retired civil servants gathered to protest the indefinite suspension of their pensions. Despite serving the country for decades, these elderly citizens are now grappling with severe poverty and health issues — with no support from the very state they once served.
Abdul Wasi, a retired schoolteacher and the sole breadwinner for his seven-member family, expressed his frustration over the non-payment of pensions, saying their lives have been pushed into an economic crisis.
Another retired worker, Mirwais, explained:
“A government order was issued, but it was never implemented. We waited six months. Now they tell us they’re waiting for a ‘norm’ — what does that even mean?”
Many pensioners, weak and aging, said they are no longer physically capable of working and have called on the Islamic Emirate to act not only out of duty, but humanity.
Abdul Hakim pleaded,
“If you don’t give it from your heart, at least give it for the sake of God.”
Abdul Khaleq added,
“Why is asking for our right considered a crime?”
Simultaneously in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, a 50-bed hospital for infectious diseases has remained closed for the past eight months due to a lack of funding — leaving thousands of poor citizens without access to treatment.
Residents say the summer heat has led to a rise in respiratory infections, but government inaction has left them helpless.
Gulab Khan, a local resident, said:
“People are coughing and struggling to breathe. The hospital needs to be reopened immediately.”
Another local, Akhtar Gul, added:
“People are so poor they can’t even afford medicine. The government must help.”
Even though local authorities claim that efforts are underway, the people of Paktia remain skeptical. Deputy Governor Inamullah Salahuddin stated that the hospital will be reopened “soon,” but no concrete steps have been seen so far.
These twin crises — frozen pensions and the collapse of public health services — reflect a broader failure across the Afghan government. The Taliban administration is proving incapable of delivering basic services, managing funds, or upholding the most essential responsibilities of a functioning state.
Security remains fragile, the economy is crumbling, and now the social sector is unraveling. With no clear direction, no transparency, and no urgency, the Taliban government appears paralyzed. The regime is losing control — not just of security — but of health, finance, civil administration, and the trust of its people.
Afghans are not only paying the price of international isolation, but also of domestic failure.
