Traders urge joint board of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Traders in southern Kandahar province say a joint commercial board should be created among Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to help boost business activities and resolve related problems.

The traders made these remarks at a meeting of the Economic Council held in Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Industry late on Wednesday

The meeting was attended by Haji Mohammad YousufWafa, Kandahar governor, Haji Mohammad SediqMomand, head of Kandahar Chamber of Commerce, Mahmood Karzai, director of AFCO Company, Haji Mohammad Mirza Katawazi, a well-known investor, and a number of other investors and traders.

The meeting discussed on the development of the country’s exports, imports, industry, investment, banking system, money exchange service and many other areas.

Haji Mohammad SediqMomand, head of Kandahar Chamber of Commerce, said the current government should pay special attention to traders and industrialists to increase exports and domestic production.

He said traders and investors were committed to investing in their country but providing them with required facilities was important.

Haji Abdul AhadSiddiqi, a businessman and member of the Economic Council, said that trade activities had grown by 50 per cent and some problems had also been resolved under the new administration.

However, he said that limitations on banks have created some problems for traders.

Siddiq said traders still do not have access to their money as needed and money transfer for business purposes was still faced with challenges.

He called for the creation of a joint board between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to help boost business and resolve related problems.

Mahmoud Karzai, head of AFCO Company, also mentioned the problem of restrictions on banks which he said hampered the construction of new buildings and roads in Kandahar city.

Problems facing by the industry were also discussed during the meeting.

Ghulam Mohammad Karimi, in charge of power management in Kandahar Industrial Park, said the industrial park was supplied with only 10 hours of electricity in 24 hours from Kajaki Dam, which he added was not enough.

These problems not only hampered the production of existing factories but also hindered further investment, he said.

Mullah Mohammad HanifHamza, head of Da Afghanistan BreshnkaSherkat (DABS) in Kandahar, said the water level at Kajaki Dam was increasing and shortage of electricity would be resolved in the next one month.

About the problems of moneychangers, Haji Qandi Agha said that as per the decision of Da Afghanistan Bank, a moneychanger should give 10 million in guarantee to the bank.

He termed the decision as beyond the capacity of moneychangers and said facilities should be made available so moneychangers could invest their capital inside the country.

Haji Mohammad MirzaKatawazi, an investor, talked about mining and said that Afghan and international investors were ready to invest in mines extraction in the country.

He said that the government would be able to earn up to 50 million afghanis a day from the mining area.

Kandahar Governor Haji Mohammad YousufWafa thanked the businessmen and industrialists for standing by the government and assured them of resolving their problems.

He called on the traders and industrialists to increase their activities as there were no security problems for them.

mds/ma