Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, acknowledged on Friday that internal rifts and financial difficulties have delayed infrastructure projects across eastern Afghanistan, including in Paktia Province.
Speaking at a public gathering in Paktia, Haqqani said that some development projects had been personally funded by him, but their implementation had been slowed or halted due to what he described as “internal and financial problems.”
Without naming individuals or detailing the nature of the disputes, Haqqani stressed that efforts to construct new roads and public buildings remain part of the administration’s agenda. “I have personally provided funds for certain projects,” he said. “But financial issues and differences among us have hindered progress on some of them.”
He warned that continued infighting within the Taliban ranks could undermine public service delivery, urging internal unity. “We must overcome the mindset of tribal division,” he said, referring to rising ethnic tensions. “Thinking one group is better than another must end. Success lies in supporting the system.”
Haqqani also defended the Taliban’s two-decade insurgency, claiming it was not aimed at seizing power or oppressing people, but rather “a jihad to implement Islamic law.” He reaffirmed that the group’s survival hinges on obedience to its reclusive leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada.
Once a rare public presence, Haqqani has recently made more appearances among civilians in eastern provinces such as Khost, Paktia and Paktika, while remaining largely absent from official Taliban ceremonies in Kabul — a move some analysts interpret as part of his strategic positioning within the movement’s internal power structure.
