GHAZNI CITY (SW): Authorities at the Department of Commerce and Industries in Ghazni province have blamed the Ministry of Finance for not releasing the approved fund of $ 17 million earmarked for the revival of traditional handcraft industry.
Husain Arifi, Head of Commerce and Industries Department in Ghazni, told Salam Watandar that the MoF has been asked many times to release the fund but to no avail. Salam Watandar approached the MoF for the matter and it was told that things have been made clear to the Ghazni authorities.
Arifi said that the Council of Minister had approved $ 10 million for the revival of traditional weaving, spinning and painting industry while $ 7 million were allocated for local copper industry, embroidery, sheep-skin embroidery and sack weaving.
Husain Arifi regretted that now the raw material from this province gets exported to Pakistan that benefits from it by exporting the products with added values. According to him, around 10 tons of wool from Ghazni gets exported to Pakistan on daily basis.
Arifi stressed that the funds for the revival of local industry would not only promote the culture but it would provide job opportunities for hundreds of locals. Ghazni’s copper industry is known for worldwide with notable exports to the U.S and Russia.
Much of the market however, has now been captured by plastic-made stuff by China and Pakistan.
Amir Muhammad, an old Ghazni resident whose family business has been coppersmithing now works on a small scale from his home due to lack of business and income. He recalled that once the industry was on its peak with him and his partner having up to 100 shops at the Hakim Sahib port and 20 more in the old city.
Ghazni’s handicrafts and architecture were once famous around the world. The artisans in Ghazni have warned that if the government paid no attention towards the revival of it, the ancient craft would totally diminish.
ENDS
