Fuel-testing lab referred to prosecutors

HEART CITY (PAN): The Anti-Corruption Unit in western Herat province on Saturday said it had submitted evidence and complaints against the Norms and Standards Department — a fuel testing facility — to the attorney’s office for allegedly clearing substandard imports from Turkmenistan.

Mohammad Zahir Ambari, the unit chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News the Torghondi branch of the Norms and Standards Department had been referred to the attorney’s office based on evidence and complaints from the provincial oil and gas department.

He said the lab had cleared 10 oil tankers which had been parked at the Torghondi dry port, saying evidence and complaints against the lab officials had been forwarded to judicial organs for investigation.

The oil and gas department head, Abdullah Khesraw, said 11 oil tankers had been identified at the port containing substandard oil.

But a representative of the Norm and Standard, without providing his name, rejected the charge as wrong. He said the firm was ready to explain the allegation.

He said no tanker could enter Afghanistan without being thoroughly checked, saying 31 tankers had recently been sent back to Turkmenistan for carrying substandard oil.

An Indian company has been running the affairs of the Torghondi branch of the Norm and Standard lab which was inaugurated a month back.

However, tanker drivers complain they paid $618 in commission to the lab officials against each tanker, an amount beyond their affordability.

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