Retirees Receive First Pensions In Four Years After Taliban Suspension
The Taliban say they have begun paying pensions to retired workers for the first time since returning to power in 2021.
The Taliban say they have begun paying pensions to retired workers for the first time since returning to power in 2021.
The Taliban-run Bakhtar News Agency reported on Sunday that the Ministry of Finance has started disbursing pensions. Radio Hurriyat said payments are limited to retirees whose documents have been verified by a special court.
Retirees have repeatedly staged protests in recent years over the Taliban’s failure to pay pensions, which were suspended after the group seized power. Under the former Afghan government, more than 160,000 retired workers received regular pensions.
In December 2024, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issued an eight-article decree instructing retirees to submit claims through special courts in order to receive payments. Although the decree set out a process for handling pension cases, it was not implemented until now, leaving pensioners without income for four years.
