KABUL — Taliban are planning to eliminate 13 percent of positions at the Ministry of Economy as part of a sweeping effort to downsize the country’s civil service, according to a source familiar with the decision.
The source, who requested anonymity to speak about internal discussions, said the reduction is being pursued under a broader directive from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada aimed at shrinking government structures across various ministries. While the layoffs have not yet begun, the source said preparations are well underway and the plan is expected to be finalized soon.
If implemented, the cuts would affect dozens of civil servants currently employed at the ministry, several of whom have already reported going more than two months without pay.
The planned downsizing follows an earlier order from Akhundzada to slash nearly 90,000 positions from the Ministry of Education. On Sunday, May 11, sources also told Amu TV that hundreds of university professors — including at Kabul and Herat universities — were recently dismissed without public explanation.
These austerity measures come amid deepening economic stagnation and rising poverty in Afghanistan, nearly four years after the Taliban returned to power. The United Nations has warned that the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s employment have further weakened the economy and severely disrupted basic services.
Analysts say the Taliban’s continued efforts to centralize control through workforce reductions and ideological purges could exacerbate the country’s humanitarian crisis and push more professionals into exile.
According to Afghanistan Analysts Network, the ministry employs approximately 964 staff members. Taliban have not provided any information about the annual budget of the ministry.
