Five-Year Delay in Pension Payments Sparks Concerns Among Retirees

A number of retirees in the country report that the process of document verification and pension payments is facing serious delays. Despite several months passing since the payment process began, many have yet to receive their pensions. They are urging the Taliban administration to expedite the process and address the retirees’ difficult living conditions immediately.

Among the protesters are some female retirees who, citing economic hardships, say they have been visiting the relevant institutions for nearly five years to receive their pensions but have not yet succeeded. According to them, the lack of a stable income has made their daily lives extremely difficult.

Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Ministry of Finance has released a statement announcing the finalization of the sixth payment schedule for retirees. According to the statement, the pension documents of educators from the Ministry of Education and senior officers from the Ministry of Defense will be processed for payment from April 14 to July 17 of this year.

However, with more than seven months having passed since the payment process began and many retirees still waiting, questions have arisen regarding the Taliban administration’s management and commitment to fulfilling the legal pension rights of retirees. Economic experts emphasize that providing pensions is a fundamental responsibility of any administrative system, and ongoing delays impose additional pressure on vulnerable segments of society.