Over 3 Million Afghan Children Face Malnutrition in 2025, WFP Warns

The agreements, announced on Thursday by officials from the Taliban-run electricity company, Breshna, also include the construction of substations and the expansion of power lines in various cities.

The projects encompass seven power generation facilities, two initiatives to complete the 110-kilovolt Kajaki-Kandahar transmission line, and one focused on substations in Qalat, Zabul, and eastern Kandahar. Specific developments include 43.2 MW of wind power and 5 MW of solar power in Herat, 50 MW of gas-powered electricity in Jowzjan, 40.25 MW of solar power in Balkh, 40 MW in Logar, 40 MW in Nangarhar, and 10 MW in Laghman. Additional efforts involve building a substation in Mohammad Agha district of Logar and finalising power line expansions from Zabul to Kandahar.

Details of the private companies awarded the contracts remain undisclosed by the Taliban. At the signing ceremony, Breshna Chief Executive Abdul Bari Omar said, “the company is striving to enhance power supply by relying on domestic energy sources.”

Afghanistan currently faces a severe energy crisis, as highlighted by a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report. With only 40 percent of households connected to electricity, the country relies on imports for over 75 percent of its energy needs, primarily from Central Asia.

A 2022 report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) noted that Afghanistan spends £172 million annually on imported electricity, which constitutes over 80 percent of its power supply. The report also underscored the Taliban’s challenges with technical expertise, staffing, and revenue to maintain the nation’s energy infrastructure.

Speaking to ARY News on Wednesday night, Sanaullah said the Pakistani government would decide after reviewing the results of Special Envoy Sadiq Khan’s recent visit to Kabul. He emphasised the deadline is flexible, not fixed.

Referring to Khan’s discussions with Afghan officials, including Taliban representatives, Sanaullah suggested changes to the refugee policy could be made based on those talks.

He added that Pakistan will take a decision aligned with its national interests, despite various statements made on the issue.

Pakistan previously announced plans to expel hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees, including undocumented migrants and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, after March 31.

Authorities have justified the move by alleging the involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

In the statement, Akhundzada cited a Quranic verse urging Muslims to avoid disputes in matters of jihad. He described unity as the key to success, encouraging Taliban members to strengthen it and remain alert to “enemy conspiracies.”

Akhundzada emphasised his commitment to defending Afghanistan’s Islamic system and Sharia-based governance, while notably omitting any mention of women’s rights or the ongoing ban on girls’ education beyond sixth grade.

He claimed Afghans now celebrate Eid in safety and happiness under Taliban rule. Akhundzada contrasted this with previous conditions, when he said citizens faced bombings, house searches, imprisonment, and funerals instead of celebrations.

Addressing economic concerns, Akhundzada dismissed reports of widespread poverty in Afghanistan as “propaganda” aimed at discouraging people. However, international organisations, including the United Nations, report that nearly half of Afghanistan’s population faces poverty and unemployment. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently noted that almost 23 million Afghans require humanitarian aid.

In his message, Akhundzada praised the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, saying its efforts had significantly reduced wrongdoing. He called for further cooperation between the Taliban and the public to eliminate corruption and uphold Islamic morals.

Akhundzada instructed Taliban-controlled institutions to align educational curricula with Sharia law, reinforcing the implementation of Islamic punishments under Hanafi jurisprudence in Taliban courts.

On international affairs, Akhundzada condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza, describing them as acts of oppression and horror. He urged Islamic countries to support Palestinians in reclaiming their rights, emphasising that the issue of Palestine concerns the entire Muslim world.

Since regaining power, the Taliban have faced widespread international condemnation for severe restrictions imposed on women and girls. Akhundzada, who governs from Kandahar, continues issuing restrictive decrees that have drawn sharp criticism globally.

The court stated that the person received 37 lashes and was sentenced to one year and six months in prison following a ruling by local judicial authorities, approved by the Taliban’s highest court.

Details about the trial process, including whether the individual had legal representation, were not disclosed in the statement. The flogging was carried out in public, a practice the Taliban frequently employs across Afghanistan for those their courts deem guilty.

Such punishments have fuelled widespread fear and intimidation among Afghan communities. International human rights organisations have repeatedly criticised the Taliban’s justice system, highlighting the absence of fair trial mechanisms under their rule.

In a Wednesday post on X, Bennett expressed solidarity with the athletes.

“I support the call by the Sport & Rights Alliance for FIFA to take a strong stand against systematic gender oppression and ensure that Afghan women footballers in exile, who are barred from playing in Afghanistan, can return to international competition,” he wrote.

The Sport & Rights Alliance had previously echoed this demand on X, pressing FIFA to address the discrimination that prevents exiled Afghan women footballers from participating. Human Rights Watch and other organisations have similarly urged FIFA and the alliance to facilitate their return to competitive matches.

In a recent letter, FIFA reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the situation of women’s football in Afghanistan. The organisation stressed that supporting women’s football remains a priority and that it is exploring practical, sustainable ways to improve Afghan women and girls’ access to the sport.