KABUL: The Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) has reportedly arrested a high-ranking official within the Ministry of Public Health on a series of grave corruption charges, according to sources within the intelligence agency.
Maulvi Noorullah, who served as the head of the ministry’s documentation and communications department as well as the special secretary to the health minister, was taken into custody following allegations of bribery and the extortion of private companies. The charges against him also reportedly include “moral corruption,” a term frequently used by the current administration to denote various forms of social or ethical misconduct.
Intelligence sources suggest the investigation has uncovered a wider network of graft. “This case is not limited to the central ministry in Kabul,” a source stated, adding that several senior health officials at the provincial level are also suspected of involvement in similar illicit activities.
The investigation further highlights a growing concern within the administration regarding officials whose families reside abroad. It is alleged that some individuals returned to Afghanistan specifically to leverage their positions for financial gain, creating an environment conducive to systemic embezzlement.
In a related development, Dr Hadidullah Zakari, a UK-based advisor to the Ministry of Public Health, has been accused of involvement in the irregular distribution of projects to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Sources indicate that the acting Minister of Public Health, Maulvi Noor Jalal Jalali, has actively lobbied for the release of his special secretary, though these efforts have so far proved unsuccessful as the GDI continues its crackdown. Further arrests of individuals linked to the case are expected in the coming days as the intelligence agency widens its net.
While the Taliban have previously touted their success in reducing the rampant corruption that plagued the predecessor government, this high-profile arrest suggests that internal integrity remains a significant challenge for the health sector.
