Senators insist on gas prices control in Kabul

KABUL or upper house members on Tuesday decided to summon the Minister of Commerce and Industry.

“The gas prices shot up from 45 afghanis to 70 afs. The economic mafia commits such acts each year in winter, but the government has control,” a member of the Meshrano Jirga, Meer Azizullah Wasifi, told Tuesday’s session.

“In addition to gas prices, the value of afghani is also falling against the US dollars and the prices of daily-use items have also gone up, so the people are facing economic problems apart from security issues,” another senator, Safiullah Hashmi, remarked.

“To whom the people should refer, the people who have the purchasing power, can buy them at any rate, but what should the poor people do,” he asked.

“The prices of fuel and basic items have jumped up. In the name of open market, the mafia wants to loot the people and there is no one to stop it,” lawmaker Farhad Sakhi from Kabul said.

Another member of the Senate, Nisar Haris, criticised the government, saying that meetings and establishing commissions could not resolve people’s problems, asking the government to pay attention to security and economy of the people.

Some other legislators held similar views and called for the commerce minister to be summoned to the house to brief lawmakers.

First deputy chairman Mohammad Alam Ezidyar said open market did not mean to do anything, saying there should be regulations.

He tasked the Senate commission on economic affairs to summon Commerce Minister Mohammad Humayun Rasa to appear in next week’s general session.

Meanwhile, Commerce Ministry spokesman Musafir Qoqandi said they would try to reduce fuel prices especially of gas in Kabul by the next week.

In order to regulate prices, he said, they had established 42 booths in different parts of Kabul to ensure that a kilo of gas was sold for 59 afghanis.

myn/ma