The Taliban-led National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) announced on Monday that more than 15 million electronic ID cards have been issued across Afghanistan since the program’s inception.
According to the NSIA report, 15,018,000 ID cards have been distributed, with 9,067,000 issued to men and 5,952,000 to women. The provinces of Kabul, Herat, Nangarhar, Balkh, and Kandahar have seen the highest distribution numbers, with Kabul accounting for 6,225,000 cards alone.
The Taliban noted that nearly 9 million of the total electronic ID cards were issued after they regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Currently, 73 distribution centers, known as “Asan Khedmat” centers, are operational across the country. These include a mobile distribution team and a center in the United Arab Emirates, catering to Afghan nationals abroad.
The electronic ID card initiative began under the previous government but faced significant controversy. Debates centered around the inclusion of “Afghan” as a nationality and the listing of ethnic groups on the cards. Despite these disputes, the ID cards continue to feature the logo of the former government, a detail that remains unchanged under the Taliban’s administration.
