While the Taliban’s deputy economic officer announces the creation of 70,000 permanent jobs and the establishment of 1,500 factories after the group’s takeover, reports and field evidence paint a different picture of Afghanistan’s economic situation.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said at a ceremony in Kabul that the country has achieved self-sufficiency in 138 industrial sectors and that the industry has made significant progress in the past three years.
This comes at a time when independent statistics, including a World Bank report, show that unemployment and poverty are increasing in the country.
In the past week alone, six young people in Khost province committed suicide due to livelihood problems and unemployment.
In many cities, university graduates without the slightest job opportunity spend their days wandering and in despair.
Experts say that without comprehensive planning, economic transparency, and the creation of real production platforms, official statistics cannot respond to the growing unemployment crisis in the country.
