The northern Kunduz province including the Kunduz city comprised six administrative units. The districts include Khan Abad, Chahar Dara, Sasht-i-Archi, Ali Abad, Qala-i-Zal and Imam Sahib.
1 – Kunduz City:
Kunduz city is known as first degree town having immense cultural values and historical sites. Balahezar and Moher Negar hills and shrines of Hazrat-i-Sultan, Khwaja Mashhad, Khawaja Kaftar and Pacha Qalandar contributed to the importance of the province. The region has cold weather in winter and hot in summer. The melons of Asqalani, Arkani and Ghazi Khani are widely popular. The Ghazi Khani melons are measured as one meter in length. Residents use Arkani melon in winter.
2 – Khan Abad:
Khan Abad is located 30 kilometers to the northeast of Kunduz and is considered one of the most populated and first grade districts of the town. A Naqi mega power dam project and Jangi hill known as Topkhana also lie in the town. Khan Abad shares borders with Bangi and Ishkamish districts in the east, Takhar province with Borka district of Baghlan situated to the north. Khan Abad was a known warehouse of Afghanistan in terms of agro sector. Its rice product is widely popular and being consumed by the people of Khan Abad and exported to other provinces. Currently, Khan Abad is experiencing growing insurgency where more than 2,000 illegal armed individuals are said to be operating.
It merits mention that security responsibility of the entire province with the exception of Khan Abad was handed over to Afghan forces in 2012. However, the process would materialize Khan Abad in 2013.
3 – Chahar Dara District:
Located 25 kilometers to the west of the provincial capital, Chahar Dara shares border with the Khulm district of northern Baghlan province. This district comprised many historical sites including the shrine of Khwaja Kaftar, with most of its residents associated with the profession of agriculture and livestock. The district rarely witnessed insurgency with intermittent clashes between rebels and security forces that often led to civilian casualties.
4 – Dasht-i-Archi District:
Dasht-i-Archi is located 140 kilometers to the east of Kunduz city. Most of the district’s parts are desertes, forcing residents to fulfill their food demands from the provincial capital. Residents of the town are suffering from rising insurgency, paralyzing authorities to keep development continue in the area. Armed groups of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) openly operate in Dasht-i-Archi.
5 – Ali Abad District:
Ali Abad is located 17 kilometers to the north of provincial capital on Kunduz-Baghlan highway. It shares border with Baghlan-i-Markazi district of northern Baghlan province in the north. The mountainous province has a suitable weather for agriculture sector.
6 – Qala-i-Zal District:
Qala-i-Zal lie 105 kilometers to the southwest of Kunduz city, sharing border with neighboring Tajikistan. Economy of the residents of the town mainly depends on orchards with the locality has vast green areas. Agriculture lands are being irrigated through Asqalan Dam.
7 – Imam Sahib District:
Imam Sahib is located 64 kilometers to the southeast of Kunduz city. the Imam Sahib shrine has immensely contributed to the religious and cultural importance of the province. Thousands of residents, tourists and local authorities attend the flag hoisting ceremony on the first day of Afghan calendar year. Considering as first grade district in terms of growing cultivation of melon, the melons of Qandak Imam Saheb are widely famous and tasty. Basous bazaar is located at a distance of 15 kilometers to the district. Imam Sahib is considered as densely populated area as compared to other five districts, which is said to be upgraded to a province in coming years. Sher Khan Port helps bolstered the economic importance of Imam Sahib. The district is linked to the neighboring Tajikistan by a mega bridge, which has 672- meters length and 11- meters width.
Under the name of friendship, the bridge was constructed over Amu River with the financial support of Norway and United States at a cost of $ 38 million afg. The project was officially inaugurated by presidents of Afghanistan and Tajikistan in 2007.
