Sources reported that routine visits to pubic offices in Afghanistan have become prolonged ordeals for many citizens, as inefficiencies, staff shortages and unofficial fees contribute to long delays and mounting public frustration.
At the national civil registration office in Sarai Shamali neighborhood in the north of Kabul, people seeking basic documentation say they face repeated postponements. Sources say hundreds of applicants arrive daily—many of them elderly or in poor health—only to wait hours or return day after day without results.
An employee at the Taliban-administered National Examinations Board told Amu that a combination of unqualified hires, persistent power outages and unreliable internet has slowed operations. Despite repeated complaints to the board’s head, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, the source said no action has been taken.
In some ministries, including the Ministry of Higher Education, staff are often absent or lack relevant qualifications, further compounding delays in processing student records and academic credentials, according to sources and applicants.
Traders and visitors also report the imposition of informal fees—payments often requested under various pretexts—which they say have become widespread in recent months as the Taliban administration grapples with financial shortfalls.
The inefficiencies extend beyond Kabul. In other provincial capitals, public offices face similar challenges. Some officials arrive late, conduct personal business during work hours, or redirect applicants from one office to another without resolving their issues, sources said.
“This dysfunction is more than just bureaucracy,” said one Kabul-based analyst. “If public offices cannot deliver basic services with consistency and fairness, trust in institutions erodes—and corruption flourishes.”
Delays in public services have always been an issue facing the people, even under previous governments. Citizens say lack of an institutionalized system has created such problems, which needs concrete solutions.
