Latest News
Kabul faces blackouts over unpaid bills for imported power
Kabul could face a winter of power outages as concerns grow over the amount owed to neighboring countries that supply Afghanistan with electricity.
According to officials from Afghanistan’s power supplier, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the country owes its neighbors $62 million.
DABS officials said however that they have not received any warnings about imminent disconnections.
However, the Afghan public is heavily indebted to DABS, to the tune of $500 million, officials confirmed.
Safiullah Ahmadzai, acting CEO of DABS, told Ariana News that they are working on a plan to recoup money owed to them.
“Some customers and (former) politicians still owe money. We are working on a mechanism to formulate a policy to collect the electricity tariffs owed by customers. InshAllah, the work will be completed and the money collected,” said Ahmadzai.
DABS also warned homeowners, tenants, business owners, former politicians and warlords to pay their outstanding bills or face losing their properties.
Ahmadzai said they have two options: pay their bills or their properties will be sold on auction.
Afghanistan relies heavily on its neighbors for electricity at buys power at a cost of $300 million a year from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran.
There is however one key domestic supplier – Bayat Power which is the largest (and only domestic) natural gas power producer in the country and serves about one million Afghans.
Bayat Power, the region’s most technologically advanced gas-fired electric power plant, is also Afghan Gas Enterprises’ (AGE) only commercial customer. AGE is responsible for the extraction and supply of natural gas.
Two people were killed after roof of their house collapsed in southern Helmand province on Friday night, officials said.
Abdul Bari Rashid, head of information and culture in Helmand, told Ariana News that the incident occurred in Tajkan village of Gershak district due to heavy rain.
According to him, the dead include a woman and a child. A man was injured in the incident.
This comes as 10 people have died and six others have been injured as a result of the floods in Helmand province in the last one week.
Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.
According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.
“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.
It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.
Roof collapse kills two in Helmand
Afghanistan’s economic prospects are bleak: World Bank
Iran’s foreign minister downplays drone attack, says Tehran investigating
IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects
Ten people killed by floods in Helmand
ATN secures TV and digital rights to broadcast IPL 2024 in Afghanistan
Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss Gaza
Afghanistan and India play out goalless draw in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Dead body of Quran-burner found in Norway
ATN secures rights to produce, broadcast second season of KPL
Tahawol: China’s call for inclusive government in Afghanistan
Saar: UN’s report on poverty in Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Russia and Tajikistan hold joint military drills along Afghanistan border
Saar: Anti-corruption efforts & better public services discussed
Tahawol: Abdul Kabir’s recent remarks discussed
-
Sport5 days agoACL fever grows as fixtures finalized
-
Latest News5 days agoOver 50 people dead in traffic accidents over Eid
-
Latest News5 days agoUS identifies Kabul airport suicide bomber
-
Business5 days agoAfghanistan-Kazakhstan chamber of commerce opens in Herat
-
World4 days agoIsraeli military vows response to Iran attack as calls for restraint mount
-
Sport3 days agoATN secures exclusive rights to broadcast Paris 2024 Olympics
-
Latest News4 days agoPakistani police give Afghans in Balochistan one day to leave
-
Latest News4 days agoHekmatyar slams US for ‘occupying’ Afghanistan’s airspace