Business
Excavation of gas well completed in Jawzjan
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced Sunday that excavation of Well no. 36 located at the Yatim Taq gas field in Jawzjan province is completed.
The ministry said in a statement that after drilling the well to the depth of 1600km the gas extraction has been functioning.
This is the second gas well that the ministry has managed to excavate in the past 40 years.
In April, the ministry had succeeded in extracting the natural gas after excavating the well no. 32 to a depth of 1500km.
The natural gas extracted from both wells is expected to be put to use in different areas including supplying to some local companies such as Bayat Power and Ghazanfar Group.
“From the extracted gas, Bayat, Power and Ghazanfar Group power generation plants, Mazar-e-Sharif fertilizer and electricity factories and other consumers will be supplied,” the statement said.
Bayat Power, Afghanistan’s largest, Afghan-owned and operated Power Production Company, is one of the local companies that has invested in electricity production utilizing natural gas.
In November 2019 the company officially started the commercial operations of its vital and historic mission to provide reliable and affordable electric power from Bayat Power-1, the region’s most technologically advanced gas-fired electric power plant and Afghanistan’s first new gas-based power production plant in more than forty years, to the people of Afghanistan.
The power plant is located in Sherberghan of Jawzjan province and provides the power essential for Afghanistan’s economic growth.
The use of natural gas in energy production, specifically by Bayat Power has the potential to boost domestic energy production to 200MW as planned, provided Afghan Gas can deliver the much-needed fuel to operate the state of the art SGT-A45 Siemen’s turbines, which are the first to be deployed worldwide, in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum stated that both wells are expected to result in the extraction of 300,000 cubic meters of natural gas daily.
The MMP noted that extraction of the gas from these refinery wells would add 8 million US dollar revenue to Afghanistan’s yearly income.
In addition, it has been estimated the refineries will generate jobs for 250 people.
Pakistan’s kinno exports remain far below potential as regional tensions, high freight costs and weak government support continue to choke the citrus trade.
Despite being a leading global citrus producer, Pakistan is expected to export just 400,000–450,000 tonnes of kinno in the 2025–26 season, compared with an estimated capacity of 700,000–800,000 tonnes.
Exports in 2024–25 stood at around 350,000–400,000 tonnes, mainly to Russia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Central Asia. While better fruit quality this season has raised hopes, persistent crossing disruptions—especially with Afghanistan—and transport bottlenecks have offset gains.
Growers say prices have collapsed sharply, forcing panic sales. Rates for large kinno have fallen from over Rs120 per kg early in the season to as low as Rs75, while smaller fruit is selling for Rs35–40 per kg amid weak demand.
Industry leaders warn the crisis is crippling processing units and jobs. More than 100 factories reportedly failed to open this season, with dozens more shutting down as exports stall. Cold storages in Sargodha are nearly full, putting fruit worth millions of dollars at risk of spoilage, while growers fear losses of up to Rs10 billion.
Exporters are urging the government to urgently resolve issues, subsidise logistics, and help access alternative markets, warning that prolonged inaction could devastate farmers, workers and the wider economy.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran will facilitate trade and economic exchanges with Afghanistan, including easing procedures at customs and local marketplaces.
He made the remarks during a televised interview following his visit to South Khorasan province, which shares a border with Afghanistan.
Pezeshkian, in a separate event addressing local business leaders, highlighted the province’s strategic advantages, citing its rich mineral resources, proximity to neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, and access to the ocean via the Chabahar port. He described the region as “a golden opportunity not found everywhere,” emphasizing its potential for economic growth and cross-border commerce.
A Kazakh delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan met with Sediqullah Khalid, First Deputy Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank, to discuss ways of strengthening banking and economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement issued by Da Afghanistan Bank, Khalid said the central bank is keen to establish regular and effective banking relations with Kazakhstan as part of broader efforts to expand bilateral trade.
He noted that enhanced banking cooperation would help facilitate trade, investment, and wider economic interaction between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan, while also contributing to financial stability at the regional level.
Members of the Kazakh delegation also emphasized the importance of developing banking and economic ties and expressed their readiness to expand joint cooperation.
The two sides further agreed to establish technical committees from both countries to hold expert-level discussions and advance practical steps for cooperation.
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