As the American-led forces are preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan, threats to lives of civilians, aid workers and other Afghans who have worked for various developmental projects are increasing. Since the ouster of Taliban from power in 2001, Afghanistan is reconstructing and developing with the support from international community. Nevertheless, challenges remain solid that do not allow smooth progress in this country. Development projects especially those funded by the foreign donors are facing growing obstacles due to the troubled security condition.

According to a recent AP report, nearly $100 billion has been spent since 2001 on US projects to better Afghan lives after generations of war and isolation, including boosting security forces, educating young girls and launching mobile phone technology. But the US State Department's ability to continue aid programs, or start new ones, hinges largely on Afghanistan's security — and whether officials can travel to project sites to make sure the money is being spent wisely. The prevailing uncertainty caused by President Hamid Karzai’s refusal to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement with the US is doing much to damage the process of development and reconstruction in the country.

Meanwhile, the foreign civilians supporting these projects will probably be withdrawn along with the military forces. However, the Afghan nationals who have assisted them will be at more risk. Taliban, the main insurgent group poses grave threats to implementation of development projects. They have been involved in abducting and slaughtering people working on projects such as of construction of highways, bridges, schools or hospitals. They do not spare even the laborers.

Aid workers share this bad luck with workers of developmental projects. Expressing concerns over deteriorating security situation on Wednesday 12 February, Gherardo Pontrandolfi, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Afghanistan said, "The future does not look promising," he said in a statement. "The situation for ordinary Afghans as well as for humanitarian workers remains precarious, but we are not packing up and going…”

Taliban claim to be doing Jihad against foreign invasion in Afghanistan. Nonetheless, over the last 12 years through their so-called Jihad, they have never spared life of civilians including women and children, aid workers and laborers working on reconstruction projects, projects that are executed to benefit the people of Afghanistan and its development.

It has been established that Taliban will go beyond any limit to keep their fight ongoing. The purpose of this fight, unfortunately, is killing of those who think about and work for the good of the country. Afghans need developmental works to continue even at faster pace and they will also need the crucial services of aid workers. This is the very responsibility of the Afghan government to prioritize security of the people who work here on humanitarian basis and also of the people who work for development and reconstruction projects.