BAHARIN LEHIB

Afghanistan – In Afghanistan, the Tazkira (identity card) and passport are the primary identification documents for every citizen. The distribution of electronic identity cards in Afghanistan has been relaunched in order to ensure transparency and prevent fraud.

The justification for the electronic ID system was that many people had obtained multiple identity documents, and those seeking to misuse them particularly individuals coming from neighboring countries were acquiring fake documents. For this reason, the issuance of electronic IDs, known as the 'Afghan Card,' was initiated. After long debates, it was decided that the ethnic group to which citizens belong would also be indicated on the ID cards.

Fees set for the cards

Previously, people did not have to pay a fee when obtaining identity documents, but a fee has now been set for the electronic ID. Due to procedures taking weeks, there was little interest at first. However, during the previous government, the electronic ID was made mandatory for passports and certain official documents. After the Taliban took power, the process accelerated, but high 'official fees' began to be demanded. Citizens who paid were able to receive their documents in a short time. Nevertheless, long queues of women, men, youth, elderly, and children in front of the identity card and passport offices never disappeared.

Restrictions on women

The Taliban recently imposed a new restriction on women, announcing that 'women’s photos cannot be printed on identity cards.' This decision became a subject of ridicule among the public. Shortly afterward, when a U.S. official published ID and passport photos of Taliban leaders’ wives, the Taliban backtracked, stating that "photos on women’s identity cards are optional."

However, the same ban was soon applied to passports. Following public backlash, the Taliban had to reverse this decision as well, declaring that 'photos on women’s passports are also optional.'

As a result, the distribution of electronic IDs and passports in Afghanistan continues to struggle with corruption and contradictory decisions. The system, initially launched to prevent fraud and maintain administrative order, has become a major social and administrative problem for the public due to the Taliban’s restrictions on women and unstable policies.