Deputy Administrative Chief Visits Eastern Provinces to Assess Returnee Settlement Conditions
Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Administrative Chief of the Prime Ministry, led a high-level delegation to Nangarhar province to evaluate living conditions and permanent settlement arrangements for returning Afghans. The visit focused on assessing local governance structures and the current state of public services across the eastern region.
During the inspection, Hanafi issued directives to the Ministries of Urban Development and Housing, Public Works, and Rural Rehabilitation and Development. He instructed officials to accelerate the allocation of residential plots, expedite road construction projects, and increase the drilling of drinking water wells. Hanafi stressed that timely service delivery, enhanced security, and respectful treatment of citizens must remain fundamental priorities for all administrative bodies.
The assessment and infrastructure improvement plans explicitly cover Nangarhar, Kunar, and Nuristan provinces. The delegation was accompanied by Minister of Urban Development and Housing Mawlawi Najibullah Haqqani and Nangarhar Governor Mawlawi Mohammad Naeem Akhund, who participated in the on-site evaluations.
The visit coincides with reports of an accelerated return of Afghans from Pakistan, driven in part by seasonal weather changes. Islamic Emirate officials stated that ensuring adequate housing, reliable infrastructure, and clean water access for displaced and returning populations is a central focus of their current administrative agenda.
Know more about this story?
If you have additional information or believe something is inaccurate, let us know. Your tips help us stay accurate.
Where reports agree
- Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi led a government delegation to Nangarhar province.
- The primary purpose of the visit was to assess the living conditions and permanent settlement of returnees/displaced persons in the eastern region.
- Hanafi issued directives to relevant ministries to improve essential services, specifically focusing on clean drinking water, residential plot distribution, and infrastructure development.
- The official emphasized security, timely service delivery, and respectful treatment of the public as fundamental priorities for government institutions.
- The visit took place in late April 2026, with official statements attributed to the Arg/Deputy Spokesperson.
Where reports differ
- Geographic scope: Hurriyat limits the focus to Nangarhar/eastern zone, while Omid Radio and RTA explicitly extend the assessment and directives to Kunar and Nuristan provinces.
- Contextual trigger: Only Hurriyat explicitly connects the visit to a recent seasonal acceleration of returnees from Pakistan; the other sources omit this context.
- Delegation composition: Omid Radio and RTA name specific accompanying officials (Minister Najibullah Haqqani, Governor Mohammad Naeem Akhund), whereas Hurriyat does not list them.
- Terminology variation: Sources use different terms for the affected population ('returnees', 'displaced persons', 'migrants'), reflecting translation nuances rather than factual conflict.
More in Politics
Economic Commission Approves Electronic Document System and Reviews Mining-Funded Projects
Malala Yousafzai Calls for International Recognition of Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
Karzai Warns of Workforce Shortages Amid Taliban Ban on Girls’ Education
Taliban Publishes New Law Regulating Religious Preachers
ReliableEconomic Commission Approves Electronic Document System and Reviews Mining-Funded Projects
The Economic Commission has approved a phased rollout of an electronic document management system to improve government transparency and reviewed 22 public welfare projects funded by mining revenues.
ReliableMalala Yousafzai Calls for International Recognition of Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
Malala Yousafzai met with Scottish First Minister John Swinney to urge international recognition of gender apartheid and the inclusion of Afghan women in negotiations, amid worsening press freedom rankings.
ReliableKarzai Warns of Workforce Shortages Amid Taliban Ban on Girls’ Education
Former President Hamid Karzai has called for the immediate reopening of schools for girls, citing a UNICEF report that warns of severe shortages in female teachers and health workers by 2030. He cautioned that the ongoing education ban will weaken national capacity and increase foreign dependency.
ReliableTaliban Publishes New Law Regulating Religious Preachers
The Taliban have published a new Preachers Law in their official gazette requiring religious clerics to follow the Hanafi school and teach the "virtue of jihad" under ministry supervision. The seventeen-article decree formalizes state oversight of religious instruction as part of a broader administrative standardization effort.