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Bayat Power set to launch phase two of its gas to electricity power generating project

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Bayat Power is hoping to start work on phase two of Bayat Power-1 in northern Jawzjan province in order to increase its electricity production output for Afghanistan.

Company officials said Sunday they have started discussions with relevant government departments in order to start the project.

Mohammad Shoaib Sahibzada, the technical head of Bayat Power, said once complete the second phase of the power plant project will add about 100 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. He said eventually, phase three will push output up to 200 megawatts.

In 2019, Bayat Power started work on Bayat Power-1’s 40MW gas-fired turbine, which achieved commercial operation later that year in Sheberghan. The plant uses Siemens Energy’s SGT-A45 mobile gas turbine, which will be integrated into phase two of the project.

Sahibzada meanwhile said phase one of the project, completed in November four years ago, has an output capacity of 40 megawatts and has provided hundreds of thousands of people with electricity in this time.

He also stated that the SGT-A45 turbine has the ability to produce 300 million kilowatts of electricity annually, which will be supplied to residential areas, mosques, universities, schools and hospitals in Jawzjan, Sar-e-Pul and Balkh provinces.

“The leadership of Bayat Power is in contact with the relevant departments and officials. Talks have started so that we can begin and implement the second phase of this project,” said Sahibzada.

He added that they have a contract with Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the country’s power supply company, for the distribution and regulation of electricity produced by Bayat Power, and that the company has signed another contract with Afghan Gas Company to increase the supply of natural gas.

Sahibzada also said Bayat Power has close working partnerships with DABS, Afghan Gas and other institutions including the Ministries of Mines and Petroleum, Energy and Water, as well as Siemens Energy - all of which help to provide more electricity to the nation.

“The benefits of this project from the point of view of electricity supply is that it was already able to provide electricity to hundreds of thousands of families, and the installed turbine has the [output] capacity of 40 megawatts of electricity,” Sahibzada added.

He also said phase two will bring the company closer to reaching its goal of producing 300 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

The Islamic Emirate has meanwhile welcomed Bayat Power’s plans to expand the output capacity. The IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Islamic Emirate gives its full support to the private sector.

“For the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, electrical energy is very important, it has vital value. Therefore, the Islamic Emirate pays a lot of attention to the private sector, if a company obtains an achievement, it means that it has been paid attention to. The Islamic Emirate has used all the possibilities to support the private sector and they are definitely moving forward,” said Mujahid.

Bayat Power was founded by the Bayat Group in 2013 with the aim of providing domestically produced electricity to the people of Afghanistan.

The power plant utilizes advanced and efficient technology, offering significantly more power and higher efficiency compared to other mobile gas turbines worldwide.

The project, in addition to generating significant tax revenues to the government, has created thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities for Afghans, contributing to the nation’s economic condition and fostering new technical skill sets amongst talented citizens.

Bayat Power, is in fact a trailblazer in Afghanistan’s independent power production sector, and just last week was awarded the prestigious Asian Power Award 2023 for its groundbreaking gas-fired mobile power plant.

On hand to accept the award on Wednesday night was Bayat Power’s CEO Ali Kasemi who said it was an honor and a privilege for the company to receive the accolade. He also said the award was an acknowledgement of the hard work and tenacity of Afghans in their quest for energy security and self-sufficiency in the power sector.

“Bayat Power is extremely proud that the Asian Power Awards have recognized our project as the Gas Power Project of the Year in Afghanistan. But we are even prouder of our continued efforts to improve the lives of Afghans across the country, enabling students to study at night, allowing health workers to provide critical services 24/7, supporting factory production, and lighting up cities, streets, mosques, and homes nationwide,” said Kasemi.

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Afghanistan exported more than 2,500 tons of pine nuts in 1402

Afghan pine nut is mostly exported to China, India, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

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The Ministry of Industry and Commerce says that in the past solar year (1402) more than 2,500 tons of pine nuts worth $27 million were exported to neighboring countries and beyond.

Afghan pine nut is mostly exported to China, India, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

“The total weight of black pine nut exports during 1402 was 2,523 tons and the value was $27 million, mostly to China, India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United States, Britain, Australia, the Netherlands, and other countries,” said Abdul Salam Javad Akhundzada, the spokesman of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock say that since last year, pine nut production has increased in the country and they have also expanded artificial forests to harvest more pine nuts.

“In order to revive pine nut forests, according to last year's development budget, pine trees have been planted on approximately 1,500 hectares of land.
There used to be pine trees on these lands, but they were cut down or destroyed in a fire,” said Misbahuddin Mustain, the spokesperson of the Ministries of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock.

Experts say that currently China buys most of Afghanistan's pint nuts, but the government must find new markets so that it can be sold at a better price.

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IEA says deportation of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has intensified

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A committee of the High Commission for Addressing the Problems of Migrants said the process of forced expulsion of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has intensified.

However, members of the committee emphasized, in their meeting with the Prime Minister's administrative deputy, that they have managed the resettlement of the returnees well in cooperation with relevant institutions.

In the meeting, Abdul Salam Hanafi, the administrative deputy prime minister, said that as winter approaches, committees should seek to ensure that the returnees will not face problems.

Experts say that the refugee hosting countries should treat Afghan migrants according to international laws, and take into account the current conditions of the country.

“To reduce immigration and increase economic stability, creating employment opportunities, increasing investment, giving various types of loans to people and issuing securities can be effective,” said Asifa Stanikzai, a migration expert.

Iranian officials have said that they deport 3,000 Afghan immigrants from the country every day and they plan to deport two million Afghan immigrants by the end of this year.

Forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan has been a serious challenge in the last three years, but according to experts, the Islamic Emirate has been able to manage the process to some extent.

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Iran executes 13 Afghans in October, 49 in total since January

Last month, Iran carried out at least 166 executions in October alone bringing the total in the first 10 months of 2024 to at least 651

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Iran Human Rights reported this weekend that in the first 10 months of 2024, Iran has executed 49 Afghan nationals, 13 of whom were executed in October alone. 

According to IHR, the number of executions of Afghan nationals has increased in the past three years. 

In 2022, 16 Afghan nationals, including a juvenile offender and a woman, were executed. 

In 2023, this number increased to 25. 

This year, the trend has accelerated further.

IHR warned that Iran may take advantage of the rising conflict between Iran and Israel to escalate the number of executions in the coming months.

Last month, Iran carried out at least 166 executions in October alone bringing the total in the first 10 months of 2024 to at least 651.

This marks the highest number of executions recorded in a single month since Iran Human Rights began documenting executions in 2007. 

Among those executed were the 13 Afghan nationals, six women, and an Iranian-German citizen.

The organization has called on the international community, media, and civil society to closely monitor and respond to what they say is an “alarming rise in executions”.

IHR also stated that since the presidential election and the recent escalation in Iran-Israel tensions, the number of executions has surged, with at least 353 people having been executed between August and October - since President Massoud Pezeshkian took office.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has not yet commented on the number of Afghan nationals executed.

The Iranian government does not disclose the number of Afghans it executes or the reasons behind most cases. 

However, it is widely believed that a significant portion of these executions are related to drug charges.

Human rights organizations have criticized the Iranian government for conducting such executions, arguing that these actions violate international laws and the right to life.

Amnesty International says that the death penalty, without exception, constitutes a violation of the right to life as articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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