PUL-I-ALAM (SW): The government of Afghanistan has publically expressed displeasure towards a Chinese firm that has been blamed for delaying work on Mes Aynak copper mining project in eastern Afghanistan.
During the era of former President Hamid Karzai, Chinese and Indian state-owned firms expressed particular interest in exploring the Mes Aynak Copper Mine in Logar province and Hajigak Iron Ore mine in central Bamiyan province respectively.A Chinese state-owned Metallurgical Group Corporation (MGC) was awarded the Mes Aynak years ago but it is yet to proceed with it.
Dawood Shah Saba, Minister for Mines and Petroleum (MoMP), Abdul Bari Jahani, Minister for Culture and Information (MoCI) and other officials visited the site in eastern Logar province on Tuesday to have a firsthand knowledge about the state of affairs.
Urging the MCG to commence operations, Saba said that the government has removed all hurdles like the issue of ensuring safety of the cultural heritage near the mining site, relocation of the locals that are likely to be affected and ensuring safety of the workers. The Minister also met representatives of the MCG in Logar.
“All hurdles have been removed but we do have some issues regarding the contract with the Chinese firm, if these hurdles are not removed and the Chinese firm does not commence operations we would cancel the contract”, he warned.
Jahani said on the occasion that the operations to mark and secure the heritage sites have been multiplied and soon it would conclude. He mentioned that each day some 25 expert archeologists search the area for heritage sites to protect them.
MoMP hopes the Mes Aynak project would earn the government annual revenue of around $ 400.
Haleem Fidai, Logar governor too urged the Chinese firm not to further delay the project.
“The Chinese firm has suspended operations since years now, the government of Afghanistan and the people of Logar want the Chinese firm to commence operations”, he stressed.
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