Connect with us

Business

Anti-graft commission probes ‘catastrophic’ customs corruption

Published

on

Anti-corruption agencies have described reports by the acting minister of finance that as much as $8 million is being embezzled by customs on a daily basis as being “catastrophic”.

The Anti-Corruption Commission says it is investigating the acting minister’s claims.

“The Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating the matter and will obtain further information from the Ministry of Finance,” said Mohammad Salim Safari, media officer at the commission.

This comes after acting finance minister Khalid Painda told MPs in the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) on Wednesday that between $7 million and $8 million was not being collected daily by customs across the country.

MPs in turn accused government leadership, especially the Ministry of Finance, of being the main culprits regarding corruption in customs, and said Painda needs to stop corruption instead of complaining about it.

On Wednesday, Painda told MPs in Parliament that there are reports of corruption involving governors, police commanders, employees of the Ministry of Finance as well as members of the public.

Asked about who is behind the multi-million dollar corruption scheme, Painda was not able to give satisfactory answers, members of the administrative board of the Wolesi Jirga said.

"Instead of giving statistics, the Ministry of Finance should fight corruption and reveal the list of corrupt people," said Hujatullah Kheradmand, Deputy Secretary of the House of Representatives.

Members of the public, however, have a different view, saying that the head and leadership of the Ministry of Finance are primarily responsible for the corruption but instead they are blaming others.

President Ashraf Ghani has in the past accused the interior ministry of being at the heart of corruption in the country. But some members of the public say it appears that the ministry of finance has now taken that top spot.

In response to the scandal, the Ministry of Industry and Trade says that the smuggling of commercial goods into the country has reduced domestic production.

The Ministry says that joint efforts have been launched with the Ministry of Finance to address this challenge, and that tariffs on imported goods should be increased by 100 percent.

The private sector, on the other hand, says that domestic industrialists still do not have access to production resources.

Members of the private sector say that if the government supports the private sector, investments in the country will increase and jobs will be created.

Business

Shoemaking industry in Takhar province facing stagnation

Published

on

A number of shoemakers in northern Takhar province say that while their handmade shoes are of better quality than imported shoes, but still sales are down.

According to them, there were more than 20 shoe-making shops in the past, but now some have been closed due to the decline in sales.

The shoemakers make most of their shoes from leather. A number of industrialists say that this industry is now facing stagnation.

Abdul Raqib, a shoemaking factor owner, said: “The government should support us. Currently, we import soles. It can be made with good quality in Afghanistan, and we could even compete against Turkish shoes.”

Meraj, another shoemaking factory owner, said: “Shoe sales were higher in the republic era. There were military shoes. Sales have declined now, but we still thank Allah.”

Shoemakers make these shoes with basic tools and by hand, with 5 to 8 people working in each shop.

Javed, a shoemaker, said: “Our sales are not so good. We can make any type of shoe or slipper. We want the government to support us.”

A number of Takhar residents say that domestically produced shoes are of high quality and with lower price compared to imported shoes, so people prefer domestic products to foreign products.

Mir Ata, a resident of Takhar, said: “We are very happy about domestic shoes. People should buy it. They are of good quality.”

However, the officials of Takhar Industry and Commerce Department say that they are committed to support the industrialists.

Abdul Rahman Ghaznawi, provincial director of industry and commerce, said: “People prefer domestic shoes and slippers. Takhar’s products are sold in Kunduz, Baghlan and Badakhshan as well.”

Meanwhile, industrialists say that if the government supports them, they will be able to make the best products and can be more competitive.

Continue Reading

Business

Daily truck clearances at Torkham drop from 400-500 to 5-10

Published

on

Pakistan’s Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has said that daily truck clearances at Torkham crossing have declined from 400-500 to 5-10.

SCCI President Fazal Muqeem Khan said this at the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry to promote bilateral trade and cooperation.

He said the volume of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan had fallen from $3 billion to $1 billion annually.

Fazal Muqeem also highlighted the adverse impact of the 2% Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) imposed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government on trade and transit.

Continue Reading

Business

Turkish scholars, charity officials assess investment prospects in Afghanistan

Officials pledged to encourage Turkish investors to explore and capitalize on investment opportunities in Afghanistan

Published

on

Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Energy and Water, Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor, met with a delegation of Turkish scholars and officials from the Adif Charity Foundation on Tuesday to discuss various political, religious, and social issues.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Water, Mullah Mansoor praised Adif’s humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and highlighted the country’s ample resources for energy production.

He emphasized that Afghanistan currently offers a favorable environment for investment in all sectors, assuring the Turkish delegation of the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of investors and their assets.

In response, Adif officials pledged to encourage Turkish investors to explore and capitalize on investment opportunities in Afghanistan, signaling a potential boost in economic and developmental cooperation between the two nations.

 

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Ariana News. All rights reserved!