PUL-I-ALAM (SW): In a bid to curb the illegal excavation and rampant smuggling of mineral resources, the Ministry Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) has vowed to introduce a new strategy.
Dawood Shah Saba, Minister for Mines and Petroleum has acknowledged the fact that Chromite for instance was widely smuggled to neighboring Pakistan from the eastern Logar and Khost provinces.
Chromite is an iron chromium oxide that is industrially important mineral for the production of metallic chromium, used as an alloying ingredient in stainless and tool steels. Afghanistan has significant deposits of high grade chromite ore, which is mined illegally in Khost Province and then smuggled out of the country to Pakistan.
In an exclusive interview with SW, the Minister promised in the near future there would be a new approach and strategy taken by national and international companies’ vis-à-vis investment, which would create jobs for a hundreds of jobless people.
Saba said a key element of this strategy would be to ensure no more illegal excavation or smuggling takes place.
Only 30 % mapped mineral wealth of Afghanistan is estimated to worth around $ 1-3 trillion but instability and illegal mining have long been undermining the potential of this sector.
A number of Logar’s residents told SW the smugglers often bribe the security and civilian officials and in return they are allowed to carry on excavate and smuggle from the mines.
Mohammad Salim Saleh, spokesman for Logar governor however claimed that such activities have drastically been curbed with the government taking control of most of the province since last two years. He added that the smuggling of Chromite only took place in the areas where the government had no control.
ENDS
