The fourth extraordinary meeting of the High Council for Standards, chaired by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, was held in Kabul on Saturday and approved six standards and 51 testing procedures in the fuel sector, the Deputy PM’s office said in a statement.

The statement added that these standards pertain to diesel, petrol, liquefied gas, and stabilized condensate gas, and their approval is considered an important step toward enhancing the quality of petroleum products.

The statement stated that this extraordinary meeting was held by order of the leader of the Islamic Emirate.

Quoting the leader of the Islamic Emirate regarding the meeting, Abdul Ghani Baradar said: “The National Standards Authority and the Committee for Preventing Low-Quality Fuel shall jointly develop a new standard for imported fuel within ten working days and submit it to us.”

Baradar added that the Islamic Emirate has taken significant and effective steps to control the import of low-quality fuel with the aim of ensuring economic stability in the country and protecting the health of citizens.

According to Baradar, these efforts not only contribute to improving the quality of the domestic market but also help build consumer trust.

He emphasized the value of standards and quality, stating that standards and quality are fundamental pillars for achieving economic stability and a self-reliant Afghanistan.

He clarified that standardization is not only a guarantee of quality in industry, trade, agriculture, and production, but also a vital necessity for increasing exports, protecting consumer rights, and accessing global markets.

According to Baradar, IEA has sought, through the High Council of Standards, to develop consistent national policies on standards and to establish a coordinated, transparent, and credible system that all sectors of the country can benefit from.

He added that the Standards Implementation Committee has been advised to properly enforce the standards and testing procedures approved by the High Council of Standards.

Baradar also noted that the private sector has been urged to seriously adhere to the standards and criteria approved by the High Council of Standards in their production and imports, and to share performance reports with the Economic Deputy Office of the Prime Minister’s Office.