Locals seek jobs on fuel project

SAR-I-PUL CITY (Pajhwok): Residents of northern Sar-i-Pul province on Sunday accused the authorities of failing to keep its promises of employing locals on the Amu River fuel extraction project.

Muhammad Ibrahim, a resident of Sar-i-Pul, told Pajhwok Afghan News the fuel extraction process had been underway for the last two years but a single local had not been hired so far.

Azizullah, another dweller of the locality, said he had been jobless for two years. “The government had promised to accommodate us. People should be given jobs to remove their sense of deprivation.”

Also, the government had assured locals of employment opportunities soon after the launch of work on the Qashkari fuel extraction project, he said, grumbling that promised development plans were yet to begin.

Almost 5,500 locals had applied for jobs on the project but they were still waiting for a formal response, he informed.

Muhammad Asif Siddiqui, a member of the provincial council, supported people’s complaints and said he had written to the contractors working on the project to honour the pledges held out to the locals.

Pajhwok repeatedly tried to get the Chinese company’s point of view but no one was available for comments.

rm/mud

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