Afghanistan Peace CampaignThese retirees have been gathering and protesting repeatedly for more than three years to claim their rights.
A number of retirees in Kabul held a protest to insist the caretaker government pay their pensions.
These retirees have been gathering and protesting repeatedly for more than three years to claim their rights.
Retiree Abdul Khaleq Amarkhail said: “It has been four or five years that we have been left wandering. Mohammad Omar Mujahid, the founder of the Emirate, used to pay people’s pensions — why are they not paying now?”
Another retiree, Abdul Rauf Hamid, said: “All of us you see here are struggling with major economic problems. We have come here to demand our pension rights from the Islamic Emirate.”
The retirees say that not receiving their pensions has caused them serious economic hardships.
“If our rights are not given to us, we will be forced to go onto the streets and throw ourselves under cars to claim our rights,” said Protester Abdul Latif Salamzada.
Retiree Mohammad Tahir called on the caretaker government to clarify whether pensions will be paid or not, saying: “We have been waiting day after day, but so far our pensions have not been paid. Whether they intend to act or not, they should clearly say so, so we can make our own decisions.”
The Islamic Emirate has not recently commented on the issue. However, on December 22 of last year, the leader of the Islamic Emirate ordered the Supreme Court to establish a special court to address retirees’ rights.