Transport companies’ problems to be addressed: Minister

KABUL (Pajhwok): Acting Transport Minister Qudratullah Zaki on Saturday pledged to resolve problems being faced by transport companies.

Insecurity, extortion and increase in tariff are some of the problems transport companies are struggling with, said Abbas Aeen, head of the Afghanistan International Goods and Transit Organisation (AFKO).

He told a gathering marking the National Transit and Transport Day in Kabul that due to insecurity, sometimes truck drivers were kidnapped, killed or injured and their goods looted on highways.

He added in some parts of the country transport companies were forced to pay illegal money. Aeen also complained about high taxes.

Ahmadullah, owner of Ahmad Shah Abdali transit company, said: “There is no security, extortion is rife and the taxes we pay are high. Our trucks are set alight, drivers killed and there is no one to inquire after all this.”

Acting Transport Minister Qudratullah Zaki acknowledged the problems faced by transport companies and said a mechanism would be developed in coordination with concerned authorities and transport companies to resolve these problems.

“If our transit goods do not go to neighboring countries, I don’t accept unilateral agreement,” he said.

He stressed restoration of Melli Bus and said some buses would be brought from India and Turkmenistan for this purpose.

Nh/ma