By: Shukria Kohistani
A number of residents of the country’s north are complaining of hiking the price of gas and fuel, saying that with increasing insecurities and surge in Taliban attacks, the price of gas and fuel has increased in recent days.
They are asking the government to pay serious attention to addressing problems of residents of the country’s north. Increasing insecurities and surge in Taliban attacks have resulted in reduction in imports of fuel and gas from Hairatan and Aqina ports. Currently, the price of each liter of petrol fuel and each kg of gas have increased by 20 – 25 AFG.
Local officials of provincial chamber of commerce and industries in Balkh have considered increasing price of fuel in the world, increased dollar against AFG, falling of trade ports to the Taliban, security threats in Hairatan and Aqina ports and insecurities along the country’s highways as main reasons of increased price of fuel and gas in the country’s north.
A number of truck drivers are complaining of lack of the government’s control on the price of fuel and gas in the country particularly Balkh province, saying that increasing insecurities have caused hiking the price of gas and fuel in the country.
According to Afghan truck drivers and some traders, Taliban do not let gas and fuel to be transported to cities. They say in all situation, truck drivers and traders are in the loss.
Meanwhile, the Union of Fuel and Gas Companies called on the Ministry of Industry and Trade to curb the price gouging in the country’s fuel markets.
Officials at the union say rising taxes and insecurity have caused problems with fuel imports recently, and importers complain that selling one liter of petrol for 63 Afghanis in Kabul after buying it for 43 Afghanis at a border area is exploitative. This comes after Taliban fighters have recently taken the control of key trade ports in the country. Currently, Islam Qala and Torghundi ports in Herat, Abo Nasr-i- Farahi port in Farah, Spin Boldak in Kandahar, Aikhanum in Takhar, Pattan port in Paktia and Shir Khan port in Kunduz are under the control of the Taliban group. Afghanistan ministry of finance says the country has lost millions in AFG incomes in the past two months. In recent days, a number of national traders and businessmen have asked the government to take necessary steps in retaking the country’s fallen trade ports, saying that they are facing with lots of problems in customhouses as most of ports are under the control of the Taliban insurgent group. It is worth mentioning that in such circumstances as the situation of the county is not good and prices are high, it is very hard for traders, businessmen and poor people to deal with the situation. The government should address all complaints and problems of the people, traders and entrepreneurs in the country.
