Taliban Issues New Order to Regulate Street Vendors in Cities
The leader of the Taliban administration, Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada, has issued a new directive setting a framework to regulate the activities of street vendors in urban areas. According to this order, municipalities are required to designate specific locations for street vendors and manage their activities. The directive also mandates the registration of street vendors’ work areas using GPS technology.
The order specifies that for every 100 street vendors, one representative will be appointed, and registered vendors will be issued free identification cards. The stated objective of these measures is to establish urban order and prevent overcrowding.
Meanwhile, street vendors are obliged to operate only in designated areas, refrain from selling prohibited or expired goods, and are prohibited from renting or transferring their workspaces to others. These restrictions come at a time when a large segment of the population, especially low-income groups, rely on street vending for their livelihoods.
The directive states that violators will first receive a warning, and if the violation continues, they will be expelled from the designated area. Some observers believe that strict enforcement of this order could impact the livelihood of needy families and call for flexible and responsive management from urban authorities.
