Months after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, sources report that the country's former finance minister Khalid Payenda is no driving an Uber in Washington DC to meet his needs.

Afghanistan’s former finance minister Khalid Payenda is now an Uber driver in Washington DC

According to an article published in The Washington Post, Khalid Payenda, Afghanistan's former Finance Minister, now makes a living as an Uber driver in Washington.

Payenda quit after President Ashraf Ghani attacked him in a public gathering barely a week before the Taliban took control of Kabul.

He had no idea at the time that the government had fallen to the Taliban.

Payenda quit because he thought he had lost Ashraf Ghani's trust.

When asked about his daily earnings, the 40-year-old said he earned "a little over $150 for six hours' labour, not counting my commute a mediocre night" one night earlier this week.&nbsp;

After coming to the US, Payenda said that he was reunited with his family. He had in Afghanistan once oversaw the US-supported $6 billion budget, according to the airport.

Payenda described his transition from Kabul to Washington as "quite an adjustment" to a fellow traveller.

Even months after the terrible fall of Afghanistan, Payenda stated he bears responsibility for the quick downfall of the democratically elected government with his fellow Afghans.

He explained, "We didn't have the collective will to reform, to be serious."

He also chastised the Americans for handing the country over to the Taliban, claiming that they had betrayed the enduring values that had supposedly motivated their battle.

"It eats at you from the inside out," he explained.

"Right now, I don't have anywhere to stay," he explained.

"I'm not supposed to be here, and I'm not supposed to be there.It's a depressing sensation."&nbsp;

The Taliban last August took control of Afghanistan after President Joe Biden ended the 20-year military mission in Afghanistan.

According to an article published in The Washington Post, Khalid Payenda, Afghanistan's former Finance Minister, now makes a living as an Uber driver in Washington.

According to an article published in The Washington Post, Khalid Payenda, Afghanistan's former Finance Minister, now makes a living as an Uber driver in Washington. Payenda quit after President Ashraf Ghani attacked him in a public gathering barely a week before the Taliban took control of Kabul. He had no idea at the time that the government had fallen to the Taliban. Payenda quit because he thought he had lost Ashraf Ghani's trust. When asked about his daily earnings, the 40-year-old said he earned "a little over $150 for six hours' labour, not counting my commute a mediocre night" one night earlier this week. After coming to the US, Payenda said that he was reunited with his family. He had in Afghanistan once oversaw the US-supported $6 billion budget, according to the airport. Payenda described his transition from Kabul to Washington as "quite an adjustment" to a fellow traveller. Even months after the terrible fall of Afghanistan, Payenda stated he bears responsibility for the quick downfall of the democratically elected government with his fellow Afghans. He explained, "We didn't have the collective will to reform, to be serious." He also chastised the Americans for handing the country over to the Taliban, claiming that they had betrayed the enduring values that had supposedly motivated their battle. "It eats at you from the inside out," he explained. "Right now, I don't have anywhere to stay," he explained. "I'm not supposed to be here, and I'm not supposed to be there.It's a depressing sensation." The Taliban last August took control of Afghanistan after President Joe Biden ended the 20-year military mission in Afghanistan.

Khalid Payenda, former Afghanistan Finance minister, drives taxi in US

Afghanistan's former finance minister blames hundreds of thousands of "ghost troops" for allowing Kabul to fall into Taliban hands after the United States removed all military personnel from the nation.

Khalid Payenda, who resigned from his job immediately after the Taliban took control in August, told the BBC that corrupt officials created over 300,000 troops and police to pad government books so generals could pocket their salary and receive money from the Taliban.

He claimed that the "ghost troops" existed only on paper.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-exclusive-life-under-taliban-living-in-the-land-of-zombies-416292">Also read | WION exclusive: Life under Taliban- ‘Living in the land of zombies’</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Payenda said that documents stating government security numbers large enough to overpower the Taliban were false.&nbsp;</div>

"The way the accountability was done, you would ask the chief in that province how many people you have and based on that you could calculate salaries and ration expenses and they would always be inflated," he said. 
 
Watch | WION Exclusive: Women-run studio of Baano TV forced to shut down in Kabul

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-exclusive-women-run-studio-of-baano-tv-forced-to-shut-down-in-kabul-417048/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Payenda said that certain commanders would hold bank cards of people who were never found in order to steal their pay.

He speculated that the figures may have been exaggerated by more than six times.

The ex-finance minister made the "ghost" assertion for the first time in September, telling Afghanistan Analysts Network that military figures were "all a fraud."

He calculated that Afghanistan had 40,000 to 50,000 soldiers at most.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan's former finance minister blames hundreds of thousands of "ghost troops" for allowing Kabul to fall into Taliban hands after the United States removed all military personnel from the nation.

Afghanistan's former finance minister blames hundreds of thousands of "ghost troops" for allowing Kabul to fall into Taliban hands after the United States removed all military personnel from the nation. Khalid Payenda, who resigned from his job immediately after the Taliban took control in August, told the BBC that corrupt officials created over 300,000 troops and police to pad government books so generals could pocket their salary and receive money from the Taliban. He claimed that the "ghost troops" existed only on paper. Also read | WION exclusive: Life under Taliban- ‘Living in the land of zombies’ Payenda said that documents stating government security numbers large enough to overpower the Taliban were false. "The way the accountability was done, you would ask the chief in that province how many people you have and based on that you could calculate salaries and ration expenses and they would always be inflated," he said. Watch | WION Exclusive: Women-run studio of Baano TV forced to shut down in Kabul Payenda said that certain commanders would hold bank cards of people who were never found in order to steal their pay. He speculated that the figures may have been exaggerated by more than six times. The ex-finance minister made the "ghost" assertion for the first time in September, telling Afghanistan Analysts Network that military figures were "all a fraud." He calculated that Afghanistan had 40,000 to 50,000 soldiers at most. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban easily won Afghanistan because 300,000-strong army did not exist: Ex-finance minister

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Afghanistan’s former finance minister Khalid Payenda is now an Uber driver in Washington DC

Khalid Payenda, former Afghanistan Finance minister, drives taxi in US

Taliban easily won Afghanistan because 300,000-strong army did not exist: Ex-finance minister