Mangal vows to prevent ‘economic mafia’ in Nangarhar

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The new governor of Nangarhar on Saturday vowed to do away with ‘economic mafia’ in the eastern province with people’s cooperation.

Mohammad Gulab Mangal, also a presidential advisor, said this during a meeting with elders from the Ahmadzai tribe at the governor’s house.

The governor thanked the elders for reposing trust in him and supporting him, saying he would resolve all problems in Nangarhar in cooperation with the masses.

Gulab Mangal said economic mafia existed in the province and the mafia would be eliminated with people’s cooperation under the law. He had taken some initial steps in this regard, the governor said, without elaborating.

The governor also said he would pursue the electricity issue in Laghman’s Badpakh district. He said power pylons had been erected and the cables stretched and the remaining affairs were under work with the National Procurement Committee.

Addressing a separate meeting, Mangal ordered revenue officials to install revenue collection boards at the relevant departments in order to prevent corruption and increase revenue, according to his spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani.

He directed the authorities concerned that all revenue departments must install the boards in front of their offices for a written display of the money being collected for visitors.

Mangal said he would use all techniques to find out corrupt officials in revenue departments and treat them harshly. He asked the revenue officials to take serious measures against corruption and cooperate with him in banishing the menace.

The governor said he had been directed by the president to eliminate corruption and had bestowed on him all needed powers in this regard.

The Nangarhar revenue department says so far 1.4 billion afghanis revenue has been collected this year, showing a 15 percent increase over last year’s returns.

Mangal’s remarks about economic mafia come amid complaints that a handful of individuals enjoy monopoly over businesses in Nangarhar.

Political affairs expert Javed Ghafor explained economic mafia those involved in land-grabs, drug smuggling and having monopoly over trade and industry.

“These people are called economic mafia who obtain on lease bus stands, markets and trade places or illegally use them.”

He said the mafia had usurped government lands and had constructed towering buildings and did not give tax to the government.

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