Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has directed $9 million from Afghanistan’s new fiscal budget to support religious seminaries in Pakistan, a source close to the Taliban leadership revealed to Afghanistan International.
The funds, earmarked for madrasas in Pakistan’s border provinces of Balochistan, Sindh, and Punjab, were ordered by Akhundzada despite the Taliban administration facing a severe financial shortfall.
According to the source, Akhundzada instructed Finance Minister Mohammad Nasir Akhund and Central Bank Governor Noor Ahmad Agha to facilitate the allocation.
The decision follows the Taliban’s approval of the 1403 (2024/25) national budget, though specific figures were not disclosed. For comparison, the 1401 (2022/23) budget totalled 231 billion Afghanis, with 203 billion for operational costs and 27.9 billion for development projects.
Amid the budget constraints, the Taliban has mandated a 12 percent staff reduction across all ministries and suspended pension payments to retirees, triggering public discontent.
Nevertheless, Akhundzada’s prioritisation of Pakistani madrasas underscores the Taliban’s deep ideological ties to these institutions, many of which educated its leaders and fighters and continue to serve as recruitment hubs. Senior Taliban officials frequently visit these seminaries and maintain strong connections with them.
The move comes as Afghanistan grapples with profound economic, political, and human rights challenges under Taliban rule. The United Nations estimates that approximately 23 million Afghans require humanitarian assistance. Last year, the World Food Programme provided emergency food aid and cash to nearly 12 million people, with a focus on women and girls facing acute hunger.
