Afghanistan Times
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AT News Report-KABUL: A private iron melting and steel factory was inaugurated on Saturday during a ceremony organized in the industrial park of Kabul. The factory, “Khan Steel” has been established by a private entrepreneur with a total investment of around $30 million dollars.
“The factory will start iron production in accordance with the international standards and procedures,” the head of the factory, Khan Mohammad Wardak said.
“I am proud that our county has best quality steel,” President Ashraf Ghani said this during the inauguration ceremony of Khan Steel iron smelting plant in Kabul.
It has been a great national and religious initiative, President Ghani said, referring to steel factory, adding, “Since childhood it was one of my dreams to turn Afghanistan from a steel importing country, into a steel exporting country.” Now it is President Ghani’s goal to turn his childhood dream into reality.
“Fortunately, over 220 thousand tons of steel have been produced by six industries during the current year,” Ghani said, adding that Afghanistan currently has two billion tons of iron in storage.
It is responsibility of every Afghans to protect national programs and initiatives, President said, adding such business setup would create job opportunities for the people.
At the end of the ceremony, the President suggested that the name of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry be changed to the Industry and Trade Ministry.
Definitely, such companies like Khan Steel, is important for the processing of the country’s iron and steel products. We can put a halt to the iron supplies by extraction of iron from our country’s mines. Currently the plant relies on waist iron supplies.
“We want government to help us in boosting outcome, especially by providing access to the scrap metal belonging to the ministry of defense,” head of factory, Wardak said.
Seven hundred of people will be employed at plant, according to Khan Steel officials, and currently 500 workers are employed directly and 1500 indirectly.
Regarding environmental issue, the factory officials said they have considered a system aimed at environment protection.
