KARACHI, Feb 18: The federal government will set up a task force on Afghanistan by next week to explore opportunities and reap maximum benefits out of the reconstruction and rehabilitation process there.

This was stated by the chairman, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Tariq Ikram in a chat with newsmen after addressing the session on private sector participation in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, organized by the International Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

He said the task force will comprise private sector people from Quetta, Peshawar and Lahore and officials of Commerce Ministry and the EPB.

Tariq said the task force will also advise the government on the steps that can be taken to boost trade in various sectors of the two countries besides providing contact for the private sector.

He said EPB also intends to set up a big warehouse in Kabul or Kandahar as soon as security situation in Afghanistan improves.

He said a construction committee has already been set up in addition to an Afghan Cell.

EPB, he said, plans to send a delegation to Afghanistan to evaluate opportunities in the various sectors like reconstruction and trade promotion.

On Afghan Transit Trade (ATT), he said, the Commerce Ministry is currently involved in the preparation of negative list of items.

Earlier, addressing the session, he said Afghanistan needs a significant and sustained transfer of resources, and an estimated $45 billion are needed for the entire development process.

Founding president, Turkish Afghan Business Council, Tugrel Erkin said construction activities must involve strategies for higher income purposes along with achievement of high quality manpower, setting up of centres for local entrepreneurs, foundation of construction material industry to assist Afghan private sector.

To be able to spend less on construction, priority based projects have to be undertaken and they have to conform to the conditions and requirements of Afghanistan, he said.

Erkin called for maximum employment of local labour and engineers to reduce construction costs.

He said maximum amount of locally produced materials has to be utilised in projects. Construction activities should implement up-dated technologies instead of costly and untried technologies. Certain investments, which are economically attractive, might be tendered by Build-Operate or Build-Operate-Transfer basis to which Afghan financial resources should also be invited.

Sultan Aziz, senior advisor to UN Development Programme on Afghanistan, said that the task to provide shelter to 3.2 million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan in their homeland is really gigantic.

He said the World Bank has promised to provide $4.5 billion for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

On a query over security and de-mining problems in Afghanistan, he reckoned that “the security issue is complex and a real one.”

He said none of the contractors will undertake construction plans unless insecurity problem exists. Kandahar is a no go area and road between Kabul and Jalalabad is not secure.

On de-mining, he said it is another challenge. He said donor agencies and seven to eight NGOs are focussing on this issue very seriously.

Chief of Aga Khan Development Network, Shams Kassim Lakha said some challenges are ahead before achieving objectives in Afghanistan like funding problems and effective trained human resources to lead.

He said private sector must now ensure deep involvement and participation in Afghanistan’s rehabilitation and reconstruction process including infrastructure facilities, health programmes, basic schooling and feeding.

Ahmed Rashid, correspondent of Far Eastern Economic Review, linked the Pakistan’s economic revival to the on-going positive activities in Afghanistan. “Pakistan should take lead in the reconstruction of its neighbour,” he added.

Pakistan should chalk out a new strategy in which the private sector should be the driving force, he said.