Residents of the Omid-e-Sabz township in western Kabul gathered and issued a joint statement declaring they will refuse to pay the rent set by the Taliban government. The decision is a reaction to the Taliban's Ministry of Justice setting a monthly rent of 4,000 Afghanis per room in the township.
In the statement, released on Friday, October 8, the residents asserted that they view this rent imposition as a "prelude and pretext for the evacuation of homes and the loss of properties." They believe it is part of a systematic effort to seize their real estate.
However, the residents also expressed hope for a just outcome, stating that the Taliban have accepted their request to review the ruling that declared the township's land "emirati" (state-owned). The statement clarifies that the ruling on state ownership only pertains to the land of the Haji Nabi township and does not include the houses, apartment blocks, and shops built by the people.
The controversy began last month when the Taliban's Ministry of Justice declared over 1,500 jeribs (approximately 300 hectares) of land in Omid-e-Sabz as "emirati" and gave residents a deadline of August 6 to vacate their homes. This decision was met with widespread protests from the residents.
According to previous reports, following these protests, Taliban forces arrested five representatives of the township's residents, increasing the pressure on the community.
The recent statement calls on all residents of Omid-e-Sabz to refrain from signing or fingerprinting any document presented as a rental agreement. It emphasizes that any signature obtained under duress will have no legal validity in determining the fate of the township.
Omid-e-Sabz is one of the largest residential townships in western Kabul, developed over recent decades through private investment and is home to thousands of families.
Source: Statement from Omid-e-Sabz residents
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