Taliban government scraps two ministries, electoral bodies in Afghanistan: Report

In its latest move, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has decided to dismantle a couple of ministries and electoral bodies, including the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the Ministry of Peace Affairs, the Independent Election Commission, and the Independent Election Complaints Commission. Meanwhile, the Independent Commission of Human Rights will resume operations under a new name, ANI reported citing Khaama Press. The Taliban have also ordered the administration of affairs and all relevant administrations to clarify the status of the staff of the ministries and commissions, as well as the payment of their salaries and the bodies' entities, the report stated. 

According to the report, a deadline of one month has been given to complete the above-mentioned tasks. In addition, the Taliban have agreed to keep the secretariats of the former Senate and parliament, as well as have direct administration of operations to identify and appoint the secretaries' employees within two weeks. The Taliban government had previously abolished the Ministry of Women Affairs and replaced it with the Ministry of Virtue and Promotion of Vice, the Afghan media outlet reported. 

Meanwhile, the Taliban on Saturday appointed Abdul Latif Nazari as the Deputy Minister of Economy. He was appointed through a decree by the Taliban's Supreme Leader, Mullah Hebtullah Akhundzada. Due to a lack of funds and the looming economic catastrophe, the Taliban also sacked a large number of World Bank staff because it could no longer afford to pay their salaries. According to a letter obtained by the news agency Sputnik from the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), several employees have been sacked as the Taliban was finding it tough to pay wages for the rural rehabilitation and development staff. 

Around 15,000 World Bank contract workers are in Afghanistan

While it was not immediately known how many employees were laid off by the Taliban, there are an estimated 15,000 World Bank contract workers in Afghanistan, according to the report. However, the Taliban-led government is yet to make an official declaration about the development. The Taliban Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development is believed to have fired scores of World Bank staff as a result of the severe humanitarian catastrophe that has erupted in the war-ravaged country since US forces left on August 30. Many governmental employees, UN and World Bank employees, educators, and healthcare workers in Afghanistan have been without pay for several months as a result of the monetary crisis, reported Sputnik. 

(Image: AP/Representative)