PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok): Senior officials on Monday said 86 security posts had been set up around the Ainak copper mine in central Logar province and urged investors to resume work on tapping the world’s largest deposits.
A landmark $3 billion deal was signed with the China Metallurgical Group (MCC) and Jiangxi Copper to produce copper in 2007, but the consortium has demanded a review of the deal, dashing Kabul's hope for economic self-reliance.
KABUL (Pajhwok): Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) on Sunday held its first investigative conference on mining in Afghanistan, highlighting six basic problems crippling the sector.
The news agency expressed its concerns about illegal mineral extractions and smuggling of the riches in a year-long investigation report released at an academic gathering in Kabul.
KABUL (Pajhwok): The price of coal went up while rates of food items went down during the outgoing week in Kabul, market sources said on Thursday.
A firewood seller Khan Mohammad in Charahi Shaheed area of Kabul said the price of 560 kg of peeled oak decreased from last week’s 7,200 afghanis to 7,000afs and of unpeeled oak increased from the previous 6,400afs to 6,500afs.
He told Pajhwok Afghan News the rate of 560kg of coal jumped from 5,800 afs to 6,400 during the week. Mohammad linked the hike in coal price to the blockade of the Salang highway by snowfall.
FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): The Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into the killing of five policemen in a clash with armed men loyal to an illegal commander over the control of azure mines in northeastern Badakhshan province, an official said on Wednesday.
Badakhshan police spokesperson Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai told Pajhwok News that the Yamgan district police chief, Abdul Zahir Mujaddedi, and azure mines security guards commander, Assadullah, a day earlier tried to gain control of a portion of the mines from the illegal commander in Kiran wa Manjan district.
KABUL (Pajhwok): The new mining law was endorsed by former president Hamid Karzai about three months ago, but the Ministry of Justice (MJ) is yet to publish it in the official gazette.
The draft law was first tabled in the parliament on Aug 9 and later approved and sent to the then president for signing.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) has welcomed singing into law the bill by the former president, saying the new law would help attract investment.
Some experts say the delay in the law’s publication kept the people uninformed.
KABUL (Pajhwok): Leading economy experts have expressed optimism about the electricity transfer agreement CASA-1000 signed between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Sunday.
The Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project, known as CASA-1000, is aimed at transferring 1300 mega watt of electricity from the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan via Tajikistan to Afghanistan and onwards to Pakistan. Afghanistan is set to receive 300 MW while Pakistani would get a bulk of 1000 MW.
KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): The smuggling of liquefied gas to Pakistan has resulted in increased prices of the commodity in southern Kandahar province, dealers alleged on Thursday.
They said people could not afford buying gas due to its high rate, urging the government to prevent smuggling of gas to the energy-deficient neighbouring country.
A gas dealer in Kandahar City’s Herat Bazaar, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the price of one kilogram of gas had shot up from 45 and 50 afghanis a month back to 70 and 75 afs today.
MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Businessmen from the northern zone said on Friday the prolonged election process had left a deeply negative impact on trade activities and dealt a severe blow to security.
Businessmen said the government needed to shift its focus to resolving the problems being encountered by the traders particular those in the fuel business.
ArashYounusi, secretary of the Balkh Chamber of Commerce, told Pajhwok Afghan News the current election stalemate had left commerce and trade activities paralysed throughout the country.
MAIMANA (Pajhwok): About 70,000 litres of fuel were torched on Wednesday as a result of a blaze at the Aqina port in northwestern Faryab province, bordering Turkmenistan, an official said.
The fire broke out due to a short circuit of a generator transferring fuel from one tanker to another at 8:30am. The blaze was extinguished by firefighters after an hour and a half.
