Faryab revenue increases, says official

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (PAN, compared to previous year, while traders complain their problems at the Aqina Dry Port are yet to be addressed.

The revenue (from March 21, 2010 to March 20, 2011) stood at 1.587 billions afghanis ($34,455,100) against 1.160 billions afs over the same period of previous year, the revenue department head, Mohammad Aslam Gadas, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He linked the increase to transparency in their work and a controlled process of revenue collection, with most of the revenue generated through customs and taxes levied on traders importing and exporting trade goods through the Aqina Dry Port.

Afghan traders import fuel, spare parts, food, medicine and vehicles through the port and export raisin, almonds and cumin to Turkmenistan and other central Asian countries.

Local traders said they were happy with the behavior of government officials, but they had some problems which needed to be resolved.

“The rundown condition of roads hinders shipping trade goods from China, Iran and Turkey through the port,” the provincial chamber of commerce chief, Abdul Azim, who is also head of Zabihullah Karim Trading Company, said.

Lack of drinking water was another problem contributing to problems of traders, he said, asking the government to take urgent steps toward solving their problems. He said if their problems were resolved, it would result into increased revenue for the government.

The revenue department head, Gadas, promised to address problems being faced by traders during the current year.

A major part of last year’s revenue came from shops in form of taxes, selling government properties and renting out government buildings, and taxes on salaries of public servants, he said.

A doctor at the Maimana civil hospital, Mohammad Ismail, said paid two percent of his salary to the government in tax. “I feel happy to assist the government,” he said, urging people to pay taxes honestly.

myn/ma

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