Istalif District Kabul Province

Background:
Istalif District Estalef District is located in the northwestern part of Kabul Province, Afghanistan. It has a population of 8,500 (2002 official UNHCR est.), a mixture of Tajiks, Pashtuns and Hazaras.

The villages of the district used to have a population of about 36,000 people, and were filled with fruit trees, vineyards, and vegetable gardens. But when the villages were destroyed, thousands fled for their lives, leaving behind ghost settlements in the continuing wars. All agricultural, health and education infrastructures were destroyed. New schools and a health center have been built in the last few years. Many houses had been rebuilt and the bazaar is alive.

Istalifi ceramics are renowned for their turquoise ishkar glaze. For centuries the ishkar plant has only been found in particular provinces in northern Afghanistan, allowing the artisans of this region to develop a distinctive ceramic tradition. The root of the ishkar plant is burned, ground into a powder and mixed with water. It is then combined with locally sourced quartz and copper oxide. Once fired, the pots are covered with the distinctive sea-green glaze.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, on Wednesday July 30, 2025, inaugurated a raisin processing factory in Afghanistan’s Istalif district of Kabul province.(20250731)