Pensioners say it has been 15 months since they last received their pensions and that their financial challenges are growing.
They say that they have repeatedly voiced their concerns, but the government has not addressed the issue yet.
Abdullah, a former government employee, says the delay in paying pensions has forced his wife to make bread to earn money to feed their family.
“Our family has nine members, mostly children. I cannot do a cart job, so I had to ask my wife to make breads for a livelihood,” Abdullah said.
Others say they had to sell their home appliances to get heating materials to keep warm this winter.
“The pensioners do not have land, livestock or businesses. They only served in the government and want to be paid,” Ali Haqbin, a pensioner said.
“The winter is arriving, but we don’t have wood, stoves or food items,” Mirwais, a pensioner said.
The Union of Pensioners says that they have repeatedly shared their concerns with the government, but the issue remains unresolved.
The ministry of finance says its plan for the payment of pensions has been approved by the cabinet, and it is only waiting the leadership’s approval.
According to data of the Union of Pensioners of Afghanistan, there are 92,254 civilian pensioners and 56,627 military pensioners in the country.—Ariana news
