KABUL: The US private military firm formerly known as Blackwater looks likely to survive an Afghan government clampdown on mercenaries after Hamid Karzai was forced by his western partners to abandon a plan to completely disband private security companies.Under plans to be announced by the Afghan government this month, many security contractors, which Karzai regards as little better than militias, will be allowed to continue operating for another year.

As part of a complex transition strategy the government is giving them until 21 March next year before most security for development projects is taken over by the Afghan public protection force. The APPF is a government security service intended to assume control over the country's hugely lucrative commercial security industry, which employs around 30,000 guards.

Western and Afghan officials say the draft plans drawn up by former Karzai opponent Ashraf Ghani will actually allow companies to keep supplying private guards and security services to development projects indefinitely. According to a list seen by the Guardian, 11 companies operating in Afghanistan that have a good reputation with government officials will enjoy favoured status in taking over contracts. Xe Services, formerly known as Blackwater, is included in that group despite being banned in Iraq and notorious for its activities in Afghanistan.

Seven companies deemed too closely linked to senior Afghan officials have been sent orders to disband within 90 days. They include NCL, which is owned by the son of the defence minister and has interests in a $2.2 billion US government transport contract.

Another company, Watan, is frantically trying to win a stay of execution by arguing that its owners, the Popal brothers, are not as closely related to the Karzai family as widely believed.

Karzai has described the companies as “thieves by day, terrorists by night”. Last August he wanted them all disbanded by the end of 2010. That decree sparked months of chaos and acrimonious wrangling between Karzai and his overseas allies. The foreign ministry refused to issue new visas to foreign guards. —Dawn/Guardian News Service