The Ministry of Finance says an agreement has been signed between the ministry, Afghan Post and the Ministry of Transport and Aviation to install a GPS in all cargo vehicles entering the country.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Kabul, finance ministry officials said this move aims to encourage investment and ensure the safe passage of all cargo vehicles into and through the country.

“By installing this device (GPS), ease is created in transit shipments and trust is created in the external transit sector,” said Dost Mohammad Mukhlis, deputy finance minister.

“This GPS is installed in cargo transit vehicles. GPS is installed in every truck that enters our country, and when it leaves Afghanistan, the GPS is removed,” said Habiburrahman Taliha, head of procurement of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation.

Ahmad Jan Bilal, head of the leadership board of state-owned companies also said that the Afghan Post company has created a new six-digit code that has been approved by the International Postal Union and will be used in national and international postal services.

Afghan Post is trying to establish 4,105 postal service centers in the country so that its services become national.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, political deputy prime minister, says the Islamic Emirate is trying to strengthen and develop relations between Afghanistan and countries in the region and strengthen economic and commercial cooperation.

Speaking at an event in Kabul’s Serena Hotel, Abdul Kabir emphasized the need for expansion of trade and regional transit and asked the neighboring countries to remove obstacles currently faced by Afghan traders.

“We call on all countries to remove obstacles and problems for Afghan traders and investors. Creating problems, blocking roads and increasing taxes on Afghan businessmen will damage the economic relations and cooperation between Afghanistan and neighboring countries,” said Kabir.

He added that the IEA is looking for alternative business ways to expand its economic relations with the region.

Nooruddin Azizi, the acting minister of industry and commerce, also addressed the event and said that the IEA provides comprehensive support to traders and has held useful discussions with the Iranian side for the activation of Chabahar Port.

A number of Iranian traders and officials have promised to cooperate with Afghanistan and provide facilities at Chabahar Port.

Officials of the chambers of industry and commerce of Iran, Pakistan, Japan, Turkey and China also participated in this conference.

Afghan officials have seized and destroyed more than 6,000kg of narcotics in Helmand in the past six months. 

The anti-narcotics department of the Helmand police said that the drugs included 400 kilograms of heroin, 452 kilograms of methamphetamine, 537 kilograms of opium.

In addition, 281 people were arrested in connection with the possession and sale of drugs in this time. 

A number of residents of Helmand province called on the police to seriously fight against drugs and prosecute dealers.

According to Helmand police, the operation to clear fields of poppy in Lashkar Gah city and all districts of the province is underway.

Helmand province was once one of the main producers of opium, but poppy farms have since been eradicated almost completely in the province following a blanket ban on narcotics.