Legal document translation centres closed in Herat

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Owners of some translation centres in Herat City, the capital of western Herat province, have expressed their concerns regarding the suspension of their activities by the Justice Department and asked the local authorities to allow them to resume their work.

They said due to the suspension of their activities, individuals who needed the translation of their documents were in trouble. Additionally, they added, hundreds of translators had been rendered jobless.

Umar Alizai, the owner of a translation centre, told Pajhwok Afghan News in compliance with a formal letter from the Ministry of Justice, the process of official documents’ translation had been suspended and they had stopped working.

He recalled all owners of translation centres were informed three weeks earlier by the Justice Department regarding the suspension of their activities-- a move that pushed him and his colleagues into deep trouble.

Abdul Rashid Jamshedi, head of the Translation Centres Union, said in the past the translation of legal documents was taking place in Herat City. It was a source of income for hundreds of people, he noted.

However, he regretted, the ministry’s decision had caused financial problems for translation centres and hundreds of individuals working there had lost their jobs.

He demanded: “The Ministry of Justice should allow translation centres to resume their work; otherwise we will be forced to permanently shut our translation centres.”

Herat Justice Department Director Maulvi Janan Khademi told Pajhwok the decision had been taken by their senior leadership. The Justice Department was unable to approve the documents translated by these centres.

“When allowed by the Centre, we can approve the translated documents,” the director commented.

nh/mud