The loading and transportation of firewood has resumed in Wurm district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province, but local residents say access to the trade remains restricted.
According to local sources, influential figures and powerful individuals are currently being allowed to transport firewood from the district to Kabul for sale. Ordinary residents, many of whom previously relied on selling firewood to support their families, are reportedly not being granted permission to continue the business.
The restrictions have raised concerns among local communities that depend on the trade as an important source of income. For families with limited employment opportunities, the sale of firewood has provided a means of earning money and meeting basic household expenses.
Residents say the unequal access to the trade has made it difficult for ordinary people to benefit from the renewed movement of firewood. They have called for clear and equal rules that would allow local communities to participate in the business without discrimination.
The resumption of firewood transportation also comes amid wider concerns about livelihoods and economic opportunities in rural parts of Afghanistan. Many communities continue to depend on small-scale trade and natural resources to generate income.
The exact reasons for restricting ordinary residents from transporting firewood, as well as the authority responsible for issuing permissions, were not immediately clear. Further information from local authorities would be needed to establish the basis of the restrictions.