Faryab under the shadow of a controversial plan: Distribution of ID cards and land to “Naqeels” continues.
Kabul Times News | 2026-05-05
Report by Shahpur Nayebzada
Worrying reports from Faryab province show that the process of distributing ID cards and allocating land to individuals known as “Naqeels” continues with intensity despite widespread public protests. Local residents, especially in Qarmaqul district, consider this measure to be a change in the demographic structure and a disregard for the rights of indigenous residents.
According to local sources, after the protests escalated, the Taliban leadership not only did not respond to these concerns, but also issued an urgent order to expedite this process. In this context, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar’s visit to Faryab and his several-day presence in the north are interpreted as an attempt to directly supervise the implementation of this program.
Meanwhile, the inauguration of some projects during the trip has been called “showy” by critics and seen as a move to appease public anger. Sources also say that Mawlawi Fazli, the former governor of Faryab, has been promoted to a higher position after suppressing protests and advancing this process.
Elsewhere in these reports, there is talk of extensive plans to relocate people from various regions, including Waziristan, to the northern provinces under the headings of “nomads” and “migrants,” a move that critics believe could have profound social and security consequences.
However, the lack of transparency and the failure to verify these statistics by independent sources have added to the existing uncertainties and heightened concerns.
Faryab under the shadow of a controversial plan: Distribution of ID cards and land to “Naqeels” continues.
