KABUL: The Afghanistan National Standards Authority (ANSA) on Monday said 1.2 million tonnes of fuel was imported to the country after passing quality test but another 1.8 million tonnes of fuel was smuggled into the country without test each year.
Naqibullah Faiq, ANSA head, told a press conference here that fuel imported in the past did not pass quality test, but now testing laboratories had been activated at all borders of the country and so far 2.2 million liters of fuel had been rejected. However, he did not say when the laboratories were activated.
“Even one liter of low quality fuel was not allowed to enter Afghanistan since I took office as ANSA head four months ago. I always stand against mafia and powerful individuals,” he said.
However, Faiq said 50 percent of fuel imports arrived through smuggling involving powerful individuals. He said ANSA was not responsible to control the smuggling.
He said 700,000 liters of low quality fuel imports had been rejected by ANSA laboratories during the past four months. “The fuel mafia is one of the greatest challenge ANSA is faced with,” Faid added.
He said annual tax of fuel illegally trafficked into Afghanistan could be estimated at $500 million.
