BALHK - An oil-processing plant owned by the Ghazanfar Group has resumed activities after four months of closure at the Hairatan port in northern Balkh province.

The facility, which has the capacity of refining 500 tons of oil annually, resumed operation in the presence of a number of high-ranking government officials on 22 December 2013.

The In-Charge of the Facility, Mohammad Ibrahim Ghazanfar, said that the oil-refining process had been halted because of technical problems, but the plant had been made functional in line with a cabinet decision.

He said that the refinery had been built at a cost of $32 million, having the capacity of producing high-quality oil and generating employment opportunities for 400 people.

“Establishment of the refinery, which can process 500 tons of crude oil in a year, is a big investment in the petroleum sector,” he added.

A fuel importer, Mohammad Rassoul, said that the Ghazanfar Group was importing crude oil for processing with six per cent less tax. He urged the authorities to seriously tackle the issue.

However, the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industries, Muzamil Shinwari, who attended the ceremony, dismissed the allegations against the Ghazanfar Group oil-processing plant.

He said such initiatives should not be opposed because it could play a vital role in strengthening the local economy. “When we directly process oil in our country, we contribute to stabilising the economy,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor of Balk province, Atta Mohammad Noor, said that it was a matter of great pleasure that a major investment had been made in the country.

The investment could help put the country on the road of economic self-reliance, which would create job opportunities, he hoped.

Source: Pajhwok Afghan News