The Sunday Guardian

TALIBAN’S ‘ATROCIOUS’ REGIME ROOT CAUSE OF FOOD SCARCITY IN AFGHANISTA­N

- CORRESPOND­ENT KABUL

Since the takeover, the Taliban’s hard regime has waged war and constant unrest in the country with the newest one emerging in the form of wheat shortfall as the country now gears up to tackle the looming food crunch.

Due to the gripping crisis, the Taliban, in its latest order, authorized all customs offices on Thursday, May 19, to prevent wheat export or trade due to extreme food scarcity, Khaama Press reported. This measure has been taken into considerat­ion to avoid amplificat­ion of scarcity, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokespers­on for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanista­n

stated on his Twitter handle.

While the price for wheat has increased by 50% in different parts of Kandahar province, it is claimed that some people have begun smuggling wheat to Pakistan, the report added.

Furthermor­e, as a result of recent political developmen­ts, the Afghan people are experienci­ng a severe humanitari­an crisis. In addition to that, food prices, particular­ly wheat, have risen substantia­lly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to the UN, hunger and food shortages affect up to 97% of the Afghan population. Previously, World Food Programme (WFP) reported that since the fall of the former government to the Taliban, over 22 million people face severe hunger.

Absolute poverty, food crisis, and unemployme­nt are being witnessed at an all-time high as families in Kabul are forced to move to the streets due to political unrest in the country since the Taliban took control.

According to Khaama Press, Afghanista­n is estimated to require more than six million tonnes of wheat each year to feed its 33 million population as Wheat is the country’s principal source of nutrition.

Meanwhile, India has pledged to provide 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanista­n as humanitari­an aid.

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