Gandhara, Gandhara Briefing: Pakistani Visas, Taliban Taxes, Afghan Bodybuilders, 17 June 2022
“Radio Azadi reports on how the Taliban is hiking taxes on Afghans to fund its $2.6 billion annual budget. That is despite many Afghans struggling to make ends meet amid an economic crisis that has disrupted basic services, left them with rising costs and dim employment prospects, and battered the health and financial sectors. Afghans can expect to pay more taxes on everything from moving goods on highways to hanging signs in storefronts. But the Taliban government's lack of transparency and the loss of essential services makes it difficult to see what citizens are getting in return. "We need to know better what the [Taliban-led] government plans to spend on," said William Byrd, an economist at the United States Institute of Peace. "The key thing about the whole budget is there needs to be transparency."”
Khaama, Tax Exemption Extended for Another 4 Months by Ministry of Finance, 10 May 2022
"The Taliban Ministry of Finance has published a statement stating that the tax exemption period has been extended for another four months due to small enterprises’ inability to pay taxes. The tax exemption has been extended for four months, according to a statement released on Monday, May 9. It was approved by the Prime Minister and proposed by the Ministry of Finance’s Directorate of Revenue. Small business owners, according to the statement, have been unable to pay their taxes and avoid tax penalties due to a variety of issues. The Ministry of Finance has given all entrepreneurs till the end of the fourth month of the 1401 solar year to clear their tax penalties and balances."
Afghan Voice Agency, IEA scraps customs duties on incoming humanitarian aid, 13 April 2022
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) approved a ministry of finance proposal to scrap customs duties on humanitarian aid on Tuesday during a cabinet meeting chaired by IEA Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund. The cabinet also ordered ministries that receive aid to notify the ministry of finance about expected arrivals at least two days ahead of the arrival of relief convoys.
Humanitarian relief has been a lifeline to an estimated 24.4 million people in Afghanistan who are facing severe and in need of and support.”
Ariana News, MoF finalizes plan to collect Zakat and Usher, 16 January 2022
“The Ministry of Finance (MoF) of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said on Sunday a plan outlining the collection process of Usher (Islamic tax on certain harvests) and Zakat (Islamic tax on personal income) has been finalized and will be submitted to the council of ministers soon.
Officials said that after the approval of the plan a special board will be established to collect the Usher and Zakat from Afghan citizens.
“Two things are very important to us; first we want to collect it (Usher and Zakat) via a digital system, and second we want to spend it via a regular system based on Sharia laws,” said Ahmad Wali Haqmal, spokesman for the MoF. Some clerics meanwhile welcomed the IEA’s plan, saying that Zakat and Usher money should be distributed to people who deserve it.
“When the officials collect Zakat from traders, it should reach deserving people, and the process should be transparent. Second, it should be done in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce and Chamber of Commerce, which registers traders’ properties,” said Amanullah Ahmadi, a cleric.”
Pajhwok, Efforts to recover arrears from Baghlan cooperatives begin, 15 December 2021
Agriculture department officials in northern Baghlan province say they have started making efforts to recover money cooperatives owe to the department. [...]
Qari Mohammad Naeem Hamkar, director of the Baghlan Agriculture, Livestock, Ushr and Zakat Commission, told a news conference that he had talked to the governor’s office and police commander about collecting the arrears from the cooperatives as soon as possible and hand them over to the state treasury.
“We are trying to get the money from them. Some people have agreed to pay us and we have talked to the police commander and the governor’s office about it,” he said.
AAN, Killing the Goose that Laid the Golden Egg: Afghanistan’s economic distress post-15 August, 11 November 2021
“In many districts captured by the Taleban in summer 2021, residents reported the new rulers immediately and systematically taxing the population that had fallen under their control (as well as billeting fighters in villages and expecting local people to feed them). Such ‘taxes’ are taken yearly, so unlike customs and taxes on minerals, will not provide steady revenues to the administration.”
Gandhara, Taliban Imposing ‘Charity’ Taxes on Farmers Who Need Aid, 29 October 2021
War, drought, and COVID have devastated farmers across Afghanistan. Now, Afghan farmers who've lost money trying to grow crops over the past year say the Taliban is dealing them another crippling blow. The cash-strapped regime is making them pay so-called charity taxes on their land and harvests, describing the payments as an obligation under Islamic law. The charity taxes are being collected despite the fact that farmers themselves are among the 14 million Afghans that the World Food Program says are already facing acute hunger.
Jurist.org, Afghanistan dispatches: 'The Taliban Ministry of Agriculture is setting new rules to collect Islamic taxes.', 22 October 2021
“Law students and lawyers in Afghanistan are filing reports with JURIST on the situation there after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. Here, a lawyer in Kabul offers his personal observations and perspective on new Islamic taxes being levied on farmers in Afghanistan. [...]
The Taliban Ministry of Agriculture is setting new rules to collect Islamic taxes. The Ministry of Agriculture have announced that farmers are required now to pay zakat and oshr to this Ministry.
In Islamic law zakat refers to a religious obligation which requires Muslims to pay 2.5% of their income to the poor. In the previous government, the Taliban used to force the public to pay this amount because it was one of their revenue generation mechanisms. The Taliban hold the position that the money will go to the poor families but they have never provided any evidence of doing so. However, it was previously used to fund their war against the government.
Oshr also refers to one-tenth of whatever is produced or harvested and made available to the market. This type of Islamic tax can be collected in kind or in cash.
Over the past two decades a wide variety of businesses in Afghanistan have confirmed that the Taliban asked for more than it is said and meant by the terms zakat and oshr. In the former government the application of such rules was voluntary/optional. However, in the areas where the Taliban had more influence than the government it was a must. If the Ministry’s applies its decision to farmers in the country, it means that the farmers are required to add these two on top of other taxes that they are required to comply as per the taxation laws and regulations.”