Deported Youth from Iran in Farah Province Report No Job Opportunities

Young people from Farah province deported from Iran in recent months say there are no job opportunities available to them in Afghanistan and they cannot cover their living expenses.

Ahmad Shah, a resident of Farah, stated that it has been two and a half months since he was deported from Iran. "Every day I go to the roundabout to find work, but I can't find any," he said. "So far, I have gone to smugglers several times, but I have not been able to return to Iran. There are no job opportunities here."

Other unemployed youth in Farah province report trying daily to find work without success. They say the Taliban have no specific programs for providing job opportunities.

Abdul Karim, another Farah resident, said work is only available during the wheat harvest from agricultural fields. "The government should have a program for us. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has no program," he added.

Raz Mohammad, also from Farah, said: "There is no work or business, and we are very distressed. No help has been provided to the poor people by the government."

The widespread deportation of migrants from Iran and Pakistan is cited as a main reason for increased unemployment in western Afghan provinces, including Farah.