KABUL: The government of Afghanistan welcomes the official inauguration of expansion of Chabahar port and regards very important the same for the import and export of Afghanistan.
The expansion of Chabahar of Iran that would bring benefit for the trade of Afghanistan is opened Sunday December 3rd.
Kabul and Tehran are hopeful this port to prepare the ground for a useful and cheaper transit for Afghanistan and land-Locked central Asian nations.
Presidential deputy spokesperson Dawa Khan Minapal told Liberty Radio that since its establishment, the national unity government made effort to not remain limited to one road and one country.
We made effort to open several ways for our import and export and based on the same, Afghanistan and India began their work on Chabahar project that the first package of India wheat was recently entered into Afghanistan.
Chabahar is a cheap way for the import and export of Afghanistan.
Minapal added that despite cooperation with India and Iran, through Chabahar port, Afghanistan has contacts and cooperation with central Asia in the sector of trade and transit that as a result of these contracts, it got access to suitable results.
To get access to Afghanistan and central Asian markets, worth $500 million that India invested in Chabahar port, dependency of Afghanistan considerably reduced to Gowadar port of Pakistan. Deputy presidential spokesman, Dawa Khan Minapal stated.
He said that unfortunately in the past, Pakistan was imposing some limitations for import and export of Afghanistan via Gowadar port that this was affecting on trade of Afghanistan and Afghan merchants were sustaining much financial losses, but the Chabahar port is enjoying much importance for us.
Because, now, merchants of Afghanistan perform their import and export easily.
President of Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rohani who was speaking in inaugural ceremony of expansion of Chabahar port while representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Qatar and several other countries were also present said that via this port goodwill is offering to neighboring nations in short time and less price.
Expansion of Chabahar port heightened several folds the volume of its cargo that in the past was 2.5 million ton annually, now, this volume estimates to 8.5 million ton.
The construction work of this project promoted by Khatam-ul-Anbia and few small contracted companies including an Indian state-run company.
The upcoming process of construction of this commercial port would be completed within upcoming 14 years.
The witnesses say that Chabahar can be a challenge for Gowadar port of Pakistan that is located 80 km far from Chabahar port and would be expanded with the investment of China.
But, president Rohani showed unfading such competition and asserted that Chabahar port would establish further cooperation and unity among regional countries.
