Taliban militants collect electricity bill on the outskirts of capital Kabul, Afghanistan’s national power utility said on Saturday.
Wahidullah Popalzai, provincial head of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat for Kabul, said that Taliban have collected 1,000 afghanis from each household in Arghundi Bala area of Paghman district and in Uzbin area in Surobi district.
He said that the Taliban have demanded local people to pay 2,500 afghanis to them in each meter reading period.
According to DABS, Taliban have collected electricity bills from 160 clients in Uzbin area and 800 clients in Arghundi Bala area.
DABS believes that the Taliban would cut imported power lines if it stops distribution of meters in insecure areas.
There have been reports of Taliban collecting electricity bills from homes in other provinces such as Kunduz and Helmand.
Amanullah Ghalib, a former head of DABS, warned that the problem would make the company go bankrupt.
Afghanistan pays $300 million annually for electricity it imports from Iran and three Central Asian countries.
