Business

$40 million has been attained from Kabul Bank scandals – AGO

Published

9 years ago

April 15, 2015

(Last Updated On: October 25, 2022)

More than $40 million has been returned back to Kabul Bank after the final decision of the special court on the bank embezzlement case, officials said.

President Ghani issued a decree on his initial days inquiring to re-open the Kabul Bank embezzlement case, and the court soon sentenced the biggest scandals including Ex-Chairman Shir Khan Farnood, and Ex-CEO Khalilullah Ferozi, but the government is still unsuccessful to return moneys back and trial those powerful shareholders who were also involved in Kabul Bank crisis.

Now, about four months have passed since the Supreme Court has directed the AGO to collect all the loans of the bank and credit it into the Afghanistan’s Central Bank account, but none of the loaners have paid their loans yet.

Attorney General’s Office (AGO) of Afghanistan emphasis serious follow up on this case, but a number of lawmakers believe that the government has already failed to return the moneys being embezzled.

Noor Habib Jalal Acting-Head of Afghanistan’s AGO said,” Kabul Bank Clearance Office is working hard on this case, as yet we could attain cashes and properties which worth more than $40 million, and we are following this case”.

Earlier Integrity Watch of Afghanistan (IWA) announced that the New Kabul Bank losses about $ 7 million annually and the bank has lost about $ 50 million since it was bankrupted on 2010.

On the other hand Farhad Azimi a member of the parliament criticized the government and said,” the Kabul Bank loaners have their own part in the government, therefore; the government is not committed to execute the court decisions”.

He added, the Kabul Bank scandals are “travelling along with the government leaders to foreign trips” probably pointing to Ex-finance minister Omar Zakhilwal who is currently the economic advisor of President Ghani.

Another MP Zakaria Sawda pointed,” the government is unable to finalize Kabul Bank crisis, because Kabul Bank loaners are close relatives to the powerful people”.

Previously, a senate member said that the government is neglecting the real scandals including Zakhilwal.

Zalmai Zabuli, the Senate Complaints Commission Chief has said,” Investigations on Kabul Bank crisis case are still without any result and it is really concerning. Several documents prove involvement of government high ranking officials in Kabul Bank crisis including ex-finance minister involvement, but the question is why they are not trialing Omar Zakhilwal? Documents prove his involvement in Kabul Bank crisis, but both the government and the judiciary systems are keeping their silent about him.”

Kabul Bank corruption is the biggest scandal in Afghanistan’s financial history which is still not cleared even after two courts.

Reported by: Ahmad Farshad Saleh

Business

Azizi calls on Malaysian investors to invest in Afghanistan

Published

4 days ago

April 24, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: April 24, 2024)

Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, met with representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, defense and interior of Malaysia, along with other senior officials, on Wednesday and called on Malaysians to invest in Afghanistan.

The visiting delegation is being led by senior diplomat Dr. Shazelina Zainul Abidin.

According to the IEA’s foreign ministry, the two sides discussed bilateral trade, holding a business communication conference to strengthen trade relations between the two countries, the trade balance between Afghanistan and Malaysia, and creating a market for Afghan products, including carpets, cotton, and minerals.

According to the ministry, at the end of the meeting, the Acting Minister emphasized the increase of investment from regional countries in Afghanistan and called on Malaysian investors to also invest in Afghanistan.

Business

Afghanistan starts exporting via railway to Turkey

Published

6 days ago

April 22, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: April 22, 2024)

The Ministry of Interior says that Afghanistan has started exporting goods to Turkey via the Herat-Khaf railway line.

In a post on X, the ministry said: “Afghanistan’s exports to Turkey started in a calm atmosphere through the Herat-Khaf railway line.”

The ministry added that one train will run daily for a month and then two trains will run daily.

According to the ministry, the security of Khaf-Herat railway line is provided by the guards of the National Public Protection Agency.

Khaf-Herat railway project not only connects Iran and Afghanistan by rail, but also completes a 2,000-kilometer route along the east-west rail corridor from China, through Uzbekistan, to Afghanistan, to Iran, and on to Turkey and Europe.

As a landlocked country, this railway network will provide a safe route to connect with Europe via Iran’s railway network and Iran’s southern ports.

This railway line is strategic for trade between Iran and Afghanistan and will allow six million tons of goods to be sent between the two countries.

Business

Afghanistan, Kazakhstan to hold joint expo in Kabul

Published

7 days ago

April 21, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: April 21, 2024)

A joint expo between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan will be held in Kabul in the next four days, officials said on Sunday.

Officials of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said that the two-day expo will be held for the purpose of expanding and strengthening trade relations between the two countries.

“This expo will be held as a follow-up of the Kazakh-Afghan international expo, which was held in the city of Astana, Kazakhstan, with the participation of a large delegation of the government and the private sector of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” Abdulsalam Javad Akhundzadeh, the spokesman of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said.
“At this expo, domestic products from different sectors of Afghanistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan will be put on display for two days.”

According to officials, 40 large Kazakh companies, and 40 large Afghan companies will exhibit their products.

Mohammad Saber Latifi, head of the Afghanistan International Expo Center, said that fruits, minerals and commercial services will be displayed at the expo.

During the expo, various memorandums of understanding for the trade of goods are also expected to be signed by companies.