December 22, 2001	Saturday	Shawwal 6, 1422

QUETTA, Dec 21: The international community is currently engaged in massive consultations to rebuild the war-ravaged Afghanistan by pumping in enough resources.

The Pakistani companies stand fair chance in rebuilding Afghanistan. Pakistan has better manpower, skilled and trained workforce which can reach in remote corners in hours.

Pakistani companies can mobilize the equipment, machinery manpower and other inputs in shortest possible time and on competitive rates.

The President Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Balochistan, Atta ullaha Khokhar was of the view that as a close neighbouring country Pakistan can play an important role in the rehabilitation of Afghanistan.

“Pakistan’s construction companies and allied industries would get golden chance to take part in the rebuilding of Afghanistan,” Mr Khokhar said adding that in the construction work Pakistani machinery, cement, Iron, electric goods could be used as Pakistan will be able to supply these items in shortest possible time.

He said that in the recent US bombing and 20 year’s war destroyed every building and road in whole Afghanistan. “Definitely new Afghanistan needs new building and roads for entering in a new era,” he said.

Mr Khokhar while referring to Transit trade facilities said that if new Afghan government’s trade policy remained positive and it encouraged the legal business it would help in reducing illegal trade and smuggling between the two countries.

Afghan refugees who crossed into Pakistan due to uncertainty and fighting during last 20 years in Afghanistan will also go back to their motherland if new Afghan government succeeds in restoring peace and order in Afghanistan.

An Afghan businessman Mohammad Usman, belongs to Mazar Sharif and is running a Afghan food Restaurant in the Provincial capital Quetta for the last 15 years, told Dawn he cannot even think of going back to his country in the present situation.

“I am running my business smoothly in Quetta without any hurdle when why should go back,” 50 year-old Usman said. “If complete peace restored in Afghanistan then one can think to go back Mazar Sharif,” he remarked. However, another Afghan businessman Ghulam Mohammad, who is also running his Afghan Restaurant in the heart of the city expressed different views saying that he was planning to move back to his country to restart his old business in Kabul. But in the same time he said, “ I will not abandon my business in Quetta. I will continue my hotel business in Pakistan because I do not think peace would be restored in a short time in Afghanistan.”

Hotel industry is another important sector in which Pakistani businessmen could start joint ventures in Afghanistan as it would flourish country tourism.

Haji Mohammad Aslam who is running a double-story hotel in Kandahar city was of the view that Pakistani businessmen can invest in hotel business in Afghanistan.

“We badly need good hotels in all the big cities. We have no good hotel in Kandahar city,” he said adding that in rebuilding of Afghanistan Pakistan could play vital role. “Many Pakistani and Afghan businessmen are already running joint business. There are a lot of opportunities for Pakistani businessmen for investment in different sectors,” Haji Mohammad Aslam said.

Afghanistan needs rebuilding in every sector. A new era of industrialization is also expected in this destroyed country. “ We need every industry in our country,” Afghan businessman told Dawn.

Mineral and industrial sectors have great potential in Afghanistan. Pakistani engineers and technical experts have the opportunities to get jobs while industrialists could invest in these sectors.

Four years long drought situation also played havoc in Afghanistan. This situation destroyed its agriculture and livestock sector, which were the main contributor in the Afghan economy, Another Afghan Abdul Rahim running his shop in Kandahar’s main bazar told this correspondent.

“We need Pakistan’s help and assistance in development of our agriculture and livestock sector,” he said. “ We also need doctors and medicines,” Rahim said.