KABUL: Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, during his visit to northern Afghanistan, inaugurated the coal mining operations in Balkhab, Sar-e-Pul province, according to a statement from his office on Tuesday.
During the inauguration ceremony for the essential coal mining operations and the connecting roads, Baradar Akhund highlighted Afghanistan’s rich natural resources, which hold significant and strategic value. He stated: “The resources could play an important role in funding infrastructure projects in the long term, advancing industrial development, and increasing national revenues.”
He emphasized that the extraction of these resources would lead to substantial steps toward economic and social growth.
According to the statement, the Balkhab coal mining area is one of the country’s important and rich resources. The extraction process has been progressing well, led by the National Development Company, which has constructed over 200 kilometers of standard roads to facilitate and expedite the mining operations.
Baradar Akhund assured the people of Balkhab that the coal from this region would be sold at a fair price, with revenues directed toward welfare services, including the construction of hospitals and other essential areas.
Reportedly, 100 shafts have been drilled in the Balkhab coal mines, with around 2,000 workers currently engaged in operations, extracting approximately 500,000 tons of coal annually.