Afghanistan’s previous finance minister is now Uber driver in Washington DC | Afghanistan

Days ahead of Afghanistan fell to the Taliban very last August, Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan president, was “welcomed” to the United Arab Emirates. He was alleged to have taken with him $169m, from his country’s treasury.

6 months on, Khalid Payenda, the moment Ghani’s finance minister, is driving an Uber in Washington DC.

“If I entire 50 excursions in the up coming two times, I receive a $95 bonus,” Payenda advised the Washington Article, from driving the wheel of a Honda Accord.

The 40-12 months-old the moment oversaw a US-supported $6bn funds. The Put up documented that in a person night time before this 7 days, he created “a little in excess of $150 for 6 hours’ operate, not counting his commute – a mediocre night”.

The Article recorded Payenda telling a person passenger his move from Kabul to Washington had been “quite an adjustment”.

He also said he was grateful for the option to be capable to assist his household but, “right now, I really don’t have any area. I really don’t belong here and I do not belong there. It’s a really vacant feeling.”

Afghanistan faces a humanitarian and financial disaster, assets frozen and minimize off from worldwide aid that would involve recognition of the Taliban government which changed the US-supported regime.

The Post explained Payenda’s knowledge in late 2020, when his mother died of Covid-19 in an impoverished Kabul healthcare facility. He became finance minister right after that. The Submit reported he now wished he experienced not.

“I noticed a great deal of ugliness, and we unsuccessful,” he explained. “I was aspect of the failure. It’s tricky when you appear at the distress of the people and you feel responsible.”

Payenda told the Article he believed Afghans “didn’t have the collective will to reform, to be serious”. But he also stated the US betrayed its determination to democracy and human legal rights just after making Afghanistan a centerpiece of put up-9/11 coverage.

“Maybe there have been good intentions at first but the United States likely did not signify this,” Payenda mentioned.

Payenda resigned as finance minister a week prior to the Taliban seized Kabul, as his partnership with Ghani deteriorated. Fearing the president would have him arrested, he left for the US, wherever he joined his spouse and children.

“We experienced 20 decades and the entire world’s assist to build a method that would operate for the persons,” Payenda mentioned in a textual content concept to a Globe Bank formal in Kabul on the day the funds fell, quoted by the Submit.

“All we crafted was a house of cards that came down crashing this fast. A household of cards designed on the basis of corruption.”