Taliban Claims Afghanistan Will Export Electricity Within Years

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Taliban administration’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, has claimed that Afghanistan will begin exporting electricity within a few years. Speaking at the inauguration of the Paranda Dam in Panjshir province, he said the country has made significant strides toward self-sufficiency, particularly in the energy sector.

Baradar emphasized that infrastructure projects are being launched or completed across the country, describing this as evidence that the Taliban’s economic development plans are being realized. He stated that energy independence is a top priority for the administration and asserted that Afghanistan would no longer rely on imported electricity in the near future.

Highlighting the country’s natural resources, Baradar noted Afghanistan’s potential for electricity generation from sources such as the Kunar River’s hydropower, solar power in the south, and strong winds in western provinces like Herat and Nimroz. Despite such claims, independent experts and international organizations have expressed doubts about the feasibility of these ambitions, citing the Taliban’s lack of clear planning, technical capacity, and financial backing.

At the same event, Dr. Abdul Bari Omar, CEO of the national power company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, claimed that the Paranda Dam project, which began in 2013, was revived and completed after the Taliban’s return to power. He blamed previous governments’ corruption for the project’s earlier delays and added that the Taliban administration is now pursuing energy production from wind and coal as well.

Meanwhile, Hafiz Mohammad Agha Hakim, the Taliban-appointed governor of Panjshir, said that since the Taliban regained control, the Afghan people have become “united” and “freed from political divisions.” He promised the expansion of infrastructure services in the province, particularly in the energy sector.

Although energy experts and academics have long called for investment in domestic electricity production, the absence of transparency, sustainable financial resources, and reputable technical institutions continues to cast uncertainty on these kinds of projects.