KUNDUZ (PAN): Kunduz residents said re-emergence of the armed groups, rampant administrative corruption and spiraling joblessness were major problems---a vicious trend that was direly needed to be reversed.
Provincial council members and residents in Kunduz said Taliban reappeared in parts of the province such as Chardara, Khan Abad, Dasht-i-Archi, Gortipa, Taluka, Zakhil and the provincial capital.
Expressing concern over the ragaing insecurity, they asked the relevant officials to work out a concerted strategy restoration of peace and stability in the province.
Mohammad Yousuf Ayubi, member of the provincial council said security was deteriorated in a number of districts amid kidnappings and armed robberies cases on main routes. “We noticed several kidnapping cases within two weeks that took place in the capital and districts and we conveyed the report to the security forces,” he said, adding presence of Taliban and armed groups reached to its highest level in some localities but the government had done nothing so far. He warned if the situation remained unchanged people would stage demonstration on the roads against the deteriorated state of affairs.
“Administrative corruption, slow-moving reconstruction process, lack of attention to academic cadres, lack of transparency in appointing youths in government departments and low quality of development projects contribute to the chaos in the province,” he added.
Kunduz is located 298-kilometers to the north of Kabul after Parwan and Baghlan provinces where residents considered Arbaki (local name) - Afghan Local Police (ALP) as main factors contributing to insecurity.
Abdul Hameed, a resident of Khan Abad district said Arbakis (ALP) had worsened the security situation with harassing people, collecting religious taxes (Zakat, Aushr), creating chaos and dispute among tribes. “None of the aid organizations implement development projects there because of Arbakis (ALP), who interferes in their affairs,” he added.
Arbaki (ALP) is referred to a tribal force taking part in maintaining security without pay in their localities but now it is unofficial force equipped by the government against its armed opponents. But provincial officials said there was no Arbaki (ALP) and it is illegal armed groups who create problems and will be disarmed.
Joblessness is another problem that has been haunting the youth of the province. Muzamil, a resident of Qala-i-Zal said joblessness prompted most youths to leave for Iran and Pakistan illegally to fee their large families back at home.
He demanded the government should explore job opportunities by establishing factories inside the country.
Complaining about growing insecurity and lack of infrastructural projects, Yousuf Ayubi, member of provincial council said, practically not big task had been done during the past decade which could bridge the gap between government and people. “We receive complaints from different parts of the province, but no one takes serious steps to address their problems,” he added.
A number of residents in Dasht-i-Archi district blamed the government and the international community for not taking effective measures during the past ten years to develop the province.
Ahmad Shah, a resident of the district said: “Security did not improve during the past ten years with Taliban roam in the area openly. Even, there is no big developmental project completed in the area,” he added. He said nothing had been changed in people’s lives because of the war. People need schools, health clinics, construction of dams, roads, potable water but their problems could not be resolved.
Nomads in the province confront with multiple problems and demand the government to help resolve their legitimate issues. Mahmood Khan, a resident of provincial capital said since establishing of the new government, nothing effective had been done to improve their lives. The warlords are seizing their postures and forcefully take away their cattle, he lamented.
However, trade had been improved in the province but insecurity was the main source discouraging the business community.
Faiz Mohammad, a trader said several times robbers stopped traders on Sherkhand border- Kunduz highway and deprived them of their money and abducted a number of them for ransom. He said he had now stopped the business.
Insecurity is the main problem of Kunduz residents, which affected badly their trade and personal lives. Kunduz is northeastern province, connected to Tajikistan through Sher khan border. Traders warned they would stop business if security could not be improved.
Residents said implementing of master plan, construction of roads inside the city, access of residents of far-flung districts to the provincial capital and dilapidated condition of roads in remote districts were among their long-standing demands, which should be addressed.