Afghanistan Passport Office has devolved into a nexus of systemic abuse and corruption under the Taliban administration. Recent reports reveal a disturbing pattern of employee mistreatment, pervasive graft, and operational dysfunction.
Sources from the Passport Office in Kabul report that seven employees—five women and two men—have been summarily dismissed. Alarmingly, six of these individuals belong to the Hazara community, and one is of Tajik descent, suggesting bias against ethnic minorities.
The situation escalates with accounts of severe physical abuse. Two male employees were accused of falsifying documents and subsequently subjected to brutal beatings with electric cables, leaving one incapacitated.
KabulNow’s efforts to seek official comments have been stonewalled, with officials demanding the disclosure of whistleblowers’ identities, thereby stifling accountability.
Female staff members face harassment, particularly from Rahimullah Rahimi, the Deputy Technical Head of the Passport Office. Eyewitnesses recount incidents where Rahimi demeaned women, referring to them as “female sheep,” and, in one instance, physically assaulted a female employee by kicking her desk, resulting in an eye injury.
Following complaints from two female employees to the head of the Passport Office, Rahimi, sources said, gave 1,000 Afghanis to the injured employee, claiming he was “in a bad mood” and asked her “not to take it personally.”
Despite internal complaints from other employees, Rahimi’s actions have gone largely unchecked.
Moreover, corruption has become endemic within the Passport Office. Applicants are routinely coerced into paying exorbitant bribes, often amounting to hundreds of dollars, to obtain passports—a significant sum in a country where the average annual income is approximately $500.
Even Taliban officials acknowledge the depth of this corruption. Shirshah Quraishi, the deputy director of the Taliban’s passport department, admitted to arresting over 350 individuals, including numerous department employees, on corruption charges.
Prior to the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, Afghanistan’s passport issuance process was relatively efficient, with applicants typically receiving passports within two to three working days. However, the system has since deteriorated markedly.
The Taliban, not recognized by any country, have not issued their own version of passports. Currently, Afghan passports are printed abroad and still bear the logo and details of the previous government, even though the Taliban have changed the national flag, emblem, and official logos.
The demand for passports has surged as citizens seek to escape the oppressive regime and deteriorating economic conditions. In response, the Taliban-controlled passport department reported generating approximately AFN 1.844 billion ($26 million) from issuing passports in only two months.
According to Taliban authorities, the group is issuing up to 100,000 passports to citizens each month.
However, this influx of revenue has not translated into improved services. Applicants endure prolonged delays, often waiting months, and are subjected to mistreatment and extortion throughout the process.
The leadership vacuum and internal power struggles exacerbate the office’s dysfunction. Since the Taliban regained power, the head of the Passport Office has changed three times.
Yet, individuals like Rahimi maintain their positions through personal connections, further entrenching corruption and abuse.
The pervasive climate of fear silences employees and applicants alike, as reporting misconduct often leads to retaliation rather than redress.
The Afghanistan Passport Office’s current state reflects broader systemic issues under Taliban rule, characterized by human rights violations, corruption, and administrative chaos.
The Henley Passport Index consistently ranks the Afghan passport as the least powerful globally, granting holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 26 countries.
Experts say addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from international organizations, human rights advocates, and the global community to hold the Taliban accountable.
