Although the Independent Election Commission (IEC) pledged the start of the registration process for presidential candidates on December 22, a number of potential election candidates on Wednesday said IEC officials have told them that the election management body was still preparing for it.

But, officials from the IEC on Wednesday said the commission will begin the registration process for presidential elections candidates on Thursday.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) on Wednesday said that Afghanistan’s exports volume reached about $1 billion in the first nine months of 2018 and the figure shows a 19 percent increase compared to the same period in 2017.

“According to statistics, the export rate has increased by 19 percent within nine months of 2018, in comparison to 2017. With the initiative of MoIC, for the first time, National Export Strategy was developed and approved,” said Ajmal Hamid Abdul Rahimzai, deputy minister of commerce and industries.