The first Deputy Prime Minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, said iron mining rights would be put up for bidding in order to address the shortage of raw material in the country.

Talking at a gathering in Kabul, Baradar said that the bidding would be conducted through a transparent process.

“Our plan is to put the iron mines up for bidding to address the challenges of the factories,” he said.

Baradar said the role of the industrial sector is important for the economic development in the country.

“As one of the officials of the economic sector, I want to call on the traders to standardize the products, exports and imports,” he said.

The Afghanistan National Standard Authority (ANSA) said it will work on the improvement of the quality of domestic products.

“Some of the activities are in accordance with the international standards ... The factories which are not standard, we hope to bring improvements in their activities,” said Mohammad Hamid, deputy of the ANSA.

The Union of Smelting Plants called on the Islamic Emirate to provide facilities for the factory owners.

“Our money which remained in the banks has been paid back to us. The owners of the factories have no money to be locked in the banks. The money which we had in the bank, they (Islamic Emirate) have compensated for it, either in tax returns or electricity bills,” said Emsatullah Wardak, deputy head of the Union of Smelting Plants.

At the end of the meeting, some of the iron factories were praised by the Afghanistan National Standard Authority (ANSA) for their activities.