Govt accused of failing to lure investors

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (PAN in the capital of northern Balkh province. 

Aimed at promoting investment in the northern zone, the seminar was attended by traders and local officials, the ACCI head for Balkh, Arash Younisi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

For a variety of reasons, investment in the northern zone had been hampered, he said, accusing the government of failing to remove the hurdles. Export and import problems persisted in the customs departments due to the government’s inadequate attention, he alleged.

Younisi said imports through the Hairatan port had been declining because of flawed transit agreements and other factors. Through such seminars, he added, they were trying to draw the government’s attention to its failures.

Administrative corruption, caused by insecurity, was the biggest hurdle to investment in Afghanistan, said Nasim Akbari, the head of an NGO called Harakat.  

Non-implementation of law, absence of a strategy for imports and exports and lack of encouragement of traders were other impediments to investment growth, he explained.

The Bashir Navid Trade Company head, Haji Khairuddin Mayel, warned the economic system would be badly damaged if the government failed to create the right investment atmosphere.

mm/mud

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