Taliban Official in Badakhshan Urges Traders to Avoid Investing in Drug Trafficking
Taliban authorities in Badakhshan have called on traders to refrain from investing in drug trafficking and to channel their capital into legal and productive sectors. The appeal came as these officials said thousands of people in Afghanistan are struggling with drug addiction.
Jamaluddin Haqjo, the Taliban deputy governor in Badakhshan, made the remarks at the opening of the first branch of Afghan National Bank in Faizabad, the provincial capital. He urged traders not to invest in activities linked to narcotics.
At the same time, several other local officials attending the ceremony called on people to contribute to the country’s economic growth instead of opposing the Taliban administration. They said expanding economic activity could help reduce poverty and some of the difficulties faced by thousands of families.
According to officials present at the event, banks and traders must also carry out their work in line with Islamic principles. They called on traders and government offices to support the bank by making deposits and using its services.
Bank officials said the new Afghan National Bank branch in Badakhshan will provide banking services for residents of the province. They added that government employees who receive their salaries through the bank can also access loan services under the bank’s policy.
Some Badakhshan residents welcomed the opening of the branch and said it would make access to banking services easier. They also called for more bank branches to be established in the remote districts of Badakhshan.
Badakhshan is one of Afghanistan’s northeastern provinces, and Faizabad serves as its administrative capital. Many districts in the province have limited access to banking and administrative services because of their scattered geography and difficult travel conditions.
