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Weekly Press Review ? August 12-18

Headlines

Iran may extend gas pipeline to Herat 

More cell-phone companies to get licenses

Bank Alfalah to open branch in Kabul

Press Clippings

Iran may extend gas pipeline to Herat 

By: Ahmad Ehsan Sarwaryar  

HERAT CITY, August 17

(Pajhwok Afghan News)

An Iranian delegation Wednesday held talks with provincial authorities on a proposed gas pipeline from Turbat-i-Jam to the western Herat province.

Representatives of the Non-governmental Gas Producer Association of Iran said they would launch the project following a green signal from the Iranian government. The delegation said the Herat officials would be informed in the next two weeks.

Speaking to Pajhwok Afghan News, Herat Mayor Mohammad Rafiq Mujaddedi said the 13-member team called on Governor Syed Hussain Anwary and expressed willingness to launch the project. He said the two sides agreed on signing a formal agreement after the go ahead from the gas and petroleum ministry of Iran.

Regarding completion period of the proposed project, Mujaddedi said it would take one year after its launching and would benefit residents of province.

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More cell-phone companies to get licenses

By: Mustafa Basharat 

KABUL, August 17

(Pajhwok Afghan News)

Five more cell-phone companies have expressed their willingness to launch services in Afghanistan, officials told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Al-Kozay, National Kam International, Watan Mobile Company, and two firms from Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are ready to launch operations in Afghanistan, where Roshan and the Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) are already active.

Earlier, the Communication Ministry had announced 80 companies were interested in getting licenses for launching services in Afghanistan. But in the final analysis, five of them have stepped forward to accept the government's terms and conditions.

In mid-June, the ministry had said the government would permit two more mobile companies to function, on terms and conditions different from those agreed with Roshan and AWCC.

Communication Minister Amirzai Sangeen, speaking at a conference here the other day, said the ministry would accept applications from more private companies after August 25. He added offers given by the five cell-phone companies would be reviewed and only two would be issued work licenses.

Companies with more experience, resources, expertise in the field and readiness to pay greater profit shares to the government would be allowed to operate, he continued, hoping the step would increase domestic revenue besides spurring competition among entrepreneurs.

Regarding the existing number of Afghan consumers, Sangeen said three per cent of the country's population used the cell-phone facility while the number might go up in January next.

The AWCC and Roshan had paid $16 million to the government, but the revenues would touch $50 million with the arrival of more companies over the next five years, the minister reckoned.

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Editorial - Paper Demands Lifting of Import Restrictions Imposed by Pakistan on Afghan Goods

(Etefaq-e Islam, Herat)

15 August 2005

According to the international law on transport, Pakistan should help Afghan businessmen to transport their commodities via Karachi harbor. According to this law and other international conventions, landlocked countries can transfer their goods via the sea without any import restrictions. However, the restrictions imposed by Pakistan on the transfer of goods imported to Afghanistan, have concerned Afghan businessmen and investors in the past years. Although Afghanistan and Pakistan have signed many agreements over the past 60 years, according to which, Afghan businessmen should have been able to transfer goods to Afghanistan via the Karachi port free, the Pakistani government has illogically banned the imports of hundreds of different products through this harbor.

The Pakistani charge de' affairs to Afghanistan says he has no information about his government's current policy, and he categorically rejects any restriction imposed by his government, especially following the recent visit by the Pakistani prime minister to Afghanistan.

Afghan Trade Ministry officials argue that all traders throughout the world can transfer their goods to landlocked countries without paying taxes, in line with international transport laws. But only after a long time did Pakistan allowed three types of merchandise to be transported to Afghanistan.

After the downfall of the Taliban, Pakistan earned over $1 billion by exporting second-hand products to Afghanistan and this clearly shows the good-will of the Afghan government in establishing mutual, bilateral cooperation with Pakistan. As a neighboring country, therefore, Pakistan should permit Afghan businessmen import their goods through Karachi harbor and honor its commitments based on international conventions and transport laws.

Currently, some 200 Afghan businessmen are complaining about the Pakistani government which, for 16 years, has been imposing restrictions on imports of their goods and kept them in Karachi port. Such a policy clearly runs counter to international laws. Although Afghan trade officials claim that economic relations between the two countries are profound and strong, these ties have been adversely affected and undermined as a result of certain political challenges and disagreements. While Afghanistan has only exported goods worth $10 million to Pakistan [annually], the imports of old, second-hand products from Pakistan have considerably increased.

The important thing for the people of the two countries is that Pakistan should not sacrifice its trade relations for the sake of political disputes, since the people of these two countries are completely dependent on economic relations.

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Another Afghan private television channel goes on air

Xinhua

15 August 2005

Another private television channel the Aryana Television was inaugurated in the Afghan capital Monday evening bringing the number of the small screen in the post- Taliban nation to four.  Established and financed by an Afghan-born American Ahsanullah Bayat, the Aryana Television will broadcast political, economic, sport news, and entertainment as well religious programs for several hours daily.

The channel currently covers the capital city and would soon cover 16 provinces of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, according to its chairman.

Speaking on the occasion, Bayat described the new TV channel as independent and said the Aryana television has no link with political parties or groups.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai in his message read out at the ceremony termed the inauguration of Aryana television as another step towards freedom of expression and strengthening democracy.

Three more private television channels namely Aaina TV, Afghan TV and Tolo TV have already established in Afghanistan over the past three years to compete the state-run national television.

After the collapse of the Taliban regime in late 2001, the mushroom growth of print and electronic media begun in Afghanistan and so far over 80 newspapers, weekly and magazines have been publishing parallel to state-run media in the war-torn country.

During its six year-reign, the Taliban regime had outlawed television, cinema and music as un-Islamic practice in Afghanistan.

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Afghan party leader says government stifles pluralism fails to improve economy

Mashad Radio (Iran)

14 August 2005

The leader of the Freedom and Democracy Movement of Afghanistan, Jawed Kohestani, has said that the current Afghan government have stifled rather than encouraged political pluralism by curbing the activities of political parties. He also criticized their failure to devise an economic strategy for the country. The following is excerpt from interview by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 13 August:

[Presenter] Dear listeners, you might be aware that people had great expectations of the current Afghan government after the presidential elections in Afghanistan and the establishment of the elected government headed by Mr. Hamed Karzai.

The people of Afghanistan, who were fully aware of their country's situation, which had been destroyed in various spheres, including the political, cultural, economic and social fields, expected their government to pay adequate attention to problems and resolve them in a practical manner. It is also worth noting that the government was formed with heavy [international] investment and assistance.

Nevertheless, Mr. Jawed Kohestani, leader of the Freedom and Democracy Movement of Afghanistan, says in an interview with the radio that the government has failed to expand its political activities. He stated that Mr. Karzai's administration has not achieved success in the field of politics and that officials have only chanted slogans. He sharply criticized the government's failure to embark upon a proper, concrete policy in terms of politics, social affairs, economy and culture. Let's listen to an exclusive interview with this party leader.

[Kohestani] In view of the current situation, the government has not done enough to set up development programs to advance the country effectively in terms of culture and the economy. The government has not initiated a specific policy to balance the country's improvement. The Afghan cabinet is very weak and passive regarding the country's construction. Cabinet members are unable to set up proper construction projects and thus have failed to win the people's trust.

[Correspondent] Mr. Kohestani, in view of all the talk of democratization, political development depends on the active participation of political parties. Have political parties actively taken part in the country's political activities? What is the Afghan government's stance regarding this issue? Has the government ever paid attention to this?

[Kohestani] I can say that there has only been talk of political development as nothing has been done in this regard. Even Mr. Karzai has disapproved of the activities of political movements. Therefore, it seems as though the government is playing with Afghanistan's national interests. Besides, not enough attention is paid to political parties. The only aim has been to restrict the activities of these parties. This is because these parties are concerned about the current situation in Afghanistan and do not agree with the policies cunningly and secretly set up against the Afghan people. The people are not informed about the situation at all. This shows that [the government] is not eager to develop political parties or respect political pluralism. You are aware that parties were severely threatened, not only in the run-up to the parliamentary elections but also prior to this process.

The formation of political parties has turned into a difficult issue. In order to create tension, the government and possibly other countries have had a hand in ensuring a multiplicity of political movements in a bid to prevent popular solidarity and to prevent anyone getting strong enough to apply pressure to the government or really challenge it.

[Correspondent] What programs has the government set up to improve the economy and construction of the country's infrastructure, which are essential to the Afghan people? Have there been any positive changes to improve people's lives?

[Kohestani] One of the advantages of peace is economic development, which improves people's lives. There has been relative peace in the country over the past three years and we can see some changes. However, the government and the international community have not played an active part in these changes. That is, the government has not had a transparent policy to revive the country's economic infrastructure. In the past, the country's economy was mainly dependent on the government. But now, economic systems are based on a free market, which is not strong enough to improve people's lives. In other words, the Afghan administration does not have a transparent economic program. Neither the public nor the private sector is developed appropriately to improve the economy significantly.

There are still security problems and the country is still suffering from administrative corruption. The government and security departments do not support investors. There has not been any specific investment inside the country. As a result, the country has not improved in economic terms at all. The people together or individually have accomplished a number of projects thanks to the fact there is relative peace.

[Correspondent] What is the reason behind this failure? Why is the government not able to set up proper, regular programs to build the country's economic infrastructure?

[Kohestani] First, the important thing is that the government's revenues are very low. The country is still unable to depend upon its own income and economy. Second, the donor countries mainly help NGOs, which work independently and invest in their own projects and do not consult with the government. Third, the government does not have the authority to control the country's economic projects effectively. That is why the international community does not trust the government and only donates a small portion of its funds to the government compared to the amount it provides for other organizations. Most of the aid money is spent on employing foreign staff rather than investing in economic projects.

One of the government's problems is that it does not have any transparent national strategy, i.e. in the field of the economy, social affairs and so on. I would argue that the government is very weak and cannot even design a project in a small town. This problem can be seen both in the administration and among donor countries. [Passage omitted: cultural issues]

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Project to help Afghanistan to import Uzbek power

UzReport.com

15.08.2005

State-run Power Grid Corporation of India today entered into an agreement with Ministry of External Affairs for executing a US$110 million transmission project in Afghanistan, Asia Pulse reported.

The project is being financed by the central government under the assistance program to Afghanistan and is scheduled for completion by 2009, a Power Grid release said.

The project would enable the war-torn country to import power from generating stations located in Uzbekistan to Kabul. It comprises construction of a 202 km-long 220 KV double circuit transmission line from Pul-e-Kumri to Kabul and new 220/110/20 KV substation in the Afghan capital.

The transmission line will pass through snow-bound tough hilly terrain with altitude ranging from 1800 meters to 4000 meters above sea level and temperatures as low as 30 degrees Celsius below zero.

The material required for the project would be transported from India to Afghanistan by sea route via Iran and thereafter through 2500 km long land route, it said.

Power Grid has already completed route alignment, survey and soil investigation work, the release said, adding tenders for procurement of goods and services required for the project would be finalized within a month. 

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ADB helps improve Afghanistan air transport system

Source: Xinhua

14/8/05

The Asian Development Bank Friday said that it has approved a technical assistance (TA) grant of 1 million US dollars to help improve Afghanistan's air transport system by boosting management of the country's civil aviation administration.

The ADB said in a statement that the TA will improve the air safety oversight of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and maintenance of a financial management system that will be developed to enhance financial governance of airport operations.

The TA will help develop air safety regulatory frameworks in coordination with other aid agencies, with the ultimate goal of establishing an independent civil aviation authority, the statement said.

It will also help draft a civil aviation act that will remedy the deficiencies of the existing acts, as well as other civil aviation regulations and safety orders needed, it added.

To address financial management problems facing the sector, the TA will develop financial management systems for airport operations.

"With air traffic growing in Afghanistan, there is a pressing need to upgrade air safety oversight and financial management," says Dong-Soo Pyo, an ADB Principal Financial Specialist.

According to the ADB, in the past two decades of war, Afghanistan's civil aviation infrastructure was left in ruins.

As air traffic picks up along with the rapid expansion of economic activities over the country, the issue of air safety looms larger, while the capacity of MOT to address this is virtually nonexistent, the bank said.

On the financial front, while revenue from airport operations grows in tandem with increasing air traffic, the current financial system employed does not provide reliable accounting, leading to significant losses for the government, it added.

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Three-day handicraft exhibition begins in Kabul

By: Zainab Mohaqiq 

KABUL, August 14

(Pajhwok Afghan News)

A rich variety of traditional handicrafts produced by Afghan women went on display at Bagh-i-Zanana here on Sunday, with participants underlining the need for proper marketing of the products.

Women Affairs Ministry official Nooria Banwal said 17 stalls at the exhibition - part of a comprehensive Independence Day celebration program showcased more than 500 items including carpets, embroidery and finery dexterously made by Afghan women.

Speaking to Pajhwok Afghan News, she said the handcrafts - reflecting the skills of Turkmen and Hazara women - would be up for sale till Tuesday. She added a large number of visitors flocked to the stalls to see and purchase the deftly-crafted items.

In Afghan society, womenfolk have been enormously supportive of men in generating family income through variegated activities like sewing, needlework, embroidery, knitting and weaving.

The Afghan handicrafts are in great demand worldwide, but a deficient marketing strategy is a major reason for their being undervalued. Additionally, the handicrafts have failed to reach potential markets for want of efficient export mechanisms.

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POWER GRID TO EXECUTE AFGHAN PROJECT

The Statesman (India)

13 August 2005

State-run Power Grid Corporation today entered into an agreement with the ministry of external affairs for executing a Rs 479-crore transmission project in Afghanistan.

The project is being financed by the Centre under the assistance program to Afghanistan and is scheduled for completion by 2009, a Power Grid Press release said. The project would enable the war-torn country to import power from generating stations located in Uzbekistan to Kabul.

It comprises construction of a 202 km-long 220 KV double circuit transmission line from Pul-e-Kumri to Kabul and new 220/110/20 KV substation in the Afghan capital.

The transmission line will pass through snow-bound tough hilly terrain with altitude ranging from 1800 meter to 4000 meter above sea level and temperatures as low as 30 degrees Celsius below zero.

The material required for the project would be transported from India to Afghanistan by sea route via Iran and thereafter through 2500 km long land route, it said.

Power Grid has already completed route alignment, survey and soil investigation work, the release said, adding tenders for procurement of goods and services required for the project would be finalized within a month.

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Baghran Valley to receive $2.4 million for reconstruction

August 12, 2005

Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan Coalition Press Information Center (Public Affairs)

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan ? Baghran Valley , once home to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, will receive more than $2 million in U.S. reconstruction funds over the next six months.

$2.4 million will go toward projects in an effort to bring peace, prosperity and security to the region once known as a bastion of Taliban ideology. Projects include reconstruction of the area?s most prominent Mosque, a new high school, road repair and equipping the local police force with motorcycles.

The projects were announced during a recent ground-breaking ceremony attended by a number of Afghan and U.S. officials.

During the ceremony, Provincial Reconstruction Team Commander, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jim Hogberg said, ?The people of this valley have asked for our help and we?re delivering.? Hogberg was accompanied by approximately 30 members of his reconstruction team. He also congratulated the Afghan people for supporting their own peaceful future and reminded them of the importance of voting in the upcoming elections.

The provincial governor?s chief of staff and numerous dignitaries from throughout the province attended the ceremony. Afghan and U.S. officials distributed peace newspapers and free radios to the crowd.

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Customs in a fix to regularize trade with Afghanistan

The News International 12 Aug 05

Mohammad Ali Khan

PESHAWAR: Customs authorities are facing difficulties in regularizing Pakistan?s trade with Afghanistan via some new land routes owing to security reasons and ban on timber export by the Afghan government, official sources told The News.

The CBR on December 30, 2004 had notified the establishment of nine new customs stations at Nawa Pass (Bajur Agency), Khapakh (Mohamand Agency), Terimengal (Kurram Agency), Kharlachi (Kurram Agency), Sheedano Dand (Kurram Agency), Lawara Boya Datta Khel Road (North Waziristan Agency), Angoor Ada (South Waziristan Agency), Khand Naral (South Waziristan Agency) and Arandu Pass in Chitral district.

The main purpose of the stations was to deal with the imports and exports between both the countries except goods on which duty drawback is admissible and also to counter the smuggling of different goods.

Out of nine so far five stations have been established that included one each at Khapakh (Mohmand Agency) Nawa Pass (Bajur Agency) and three at Terimengal, Kharlachi and Sheedano Dand, bordering towns of Kurram Agency, an official of the Peshawar-based customs collectorate told The News.

The newly established stations, according to the official, have started partial functioning by clearing only export goods, while the placement of staff and equipment on other proposed station have also been completed but still they could not start proper functioning.

The official was of the view that the authorities are facing difficulties in establishing stations at South and North Waziristan agencies, the two most troubled tribal areas because of ongoing massive military deployment and movement.

Referring to the station at Arndu Pass, the official said the concept behind the establishment of customs station at Arndu Pass and Khapakh was to regularise the illegal movement of timber from Afghanistan. However, the Afghan government has banned the export of timber that puts the viability of the stations in doubts, the official maintained.

The customs authorities are so far unable to attract the traders to start their business via new land routes because of lack of infrastructure and other facilities. Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, chairman Frontier Customs Agents Group said the newly established stations were lacking proper facilities that?s why most of the traders were unwilling to use these routes. He was of the view that the government should further improve the facilities at Torkham and Ghulam Khan customs stations instead of opening new points.

Presently customs stations at Torkham, Ghulam Khan and Chaman looking after country?s major trade with Afghanistan that is on the rise as during last financial year the country?s overall export to Afghanistan stood $ 1.166 billion that is $ 166 million higher than the set target.

Similarly, Pakistan has imported from Afghanistan goods amounting to Rs 3.488 billion during the last fiscal year 2004-05 against the imports of Rs 2.619 billion during 2003-04, indicating an increase of Rs.869 million in the last fiscal year.

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Virgin Afghan market not for the faint of heart

The Daily Star (Lebanon)

12 August 2005

At a news conference in Abu Dhabi last spring, Helmut Panke, chairman of the board at German automotive giant BMW, mentioned Afghanistan as one of the emerging markets the company is eyeing. Since the toppling of the fundamentalist Taliban regime by U.S.-led forces, Afghanistan's economy has surged, growing by 24 percent in 2003 and 19 percent in 2004.

International banks are opening branches, small businesses are popping up, and Afghan expats are returning to their war-scarred homeland. Average incomes in Afghanistan are estimated to have doubled since 2001.This war-ravaged country with a population of 30 million is certainly a virgin market, but not for the faint of heart.

Perhaps the foremost problem occupying Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who won 55 percent of the vote in a landmark election 10 months ago, is how to deal with the country's opium trade, which reached record highs in 2004.

Other problems include a Taliban insurgency in the country's rugged eastern and southern provinces, a weak national army, lack of infrastructure, and corruption. If BMW decides to open its doors in Kabul, the environment will be difficult. Because of mass flight from decades of war, skilled workers are hard to find. Transportation is severely limited and electricity is spotty. Many of the country's laws and regulations date back to the Soviet era.

Afghan officials have been pleading for more foreign investment to add to the aid that is pouring in. With the U.S. giving about a billion dollars per year, the Karzai government is hoping private sector growth can eventually end the country's reliance on foreign grants.

So far, foreign companies have invested about $100 million, mostly in hotels and telecommunications. Afghanistan's finance minister has set a target of attracting $15 billion in private-sector investment, a figure that would turn the country into a regional commercial hub.

Narcotics remain the country's thorniest problem: according to some estimates, opium accounts for 60 percent of the country's GDP. Afghanistan, says an IMF estimate, accounts for 90 percent of the world opium trade.

Drug money, while boosting incomes of many of Afghanistan's poor, can be a development nightmare. Warlords who manage the trade perpetuate the country's problem with insecurity, fragmentation, and lawlessness.

There's no shortage of international help to deal with the problem, with the United States investing $780 million toward counter narcotics in Afghanistan, with $100 million of that going toward eradication.

Britain has also put up $130 million to try to stop trafficking. While significant, the money still can't match the billions generated by the warlords running the trade. The most important question, however, is not whether the Karzai government can stop narcotics, but whether it really wants to.

In many ways, the U.S.-backed president has his hands tied. Overly aggressive aerial spraying would surely kick up a political fury. Even if eradication succeeded, the result would be a crippling of the country's economy.

One solution may be government programs to encourage and fund alternate crops such as saffron and wheat. Despite fat was issued against drug production, farmers are reluctant to switch crops, as wheat earns only about a quarter of what farmers can make from opium sales.

As the drug problem looms, Afghans - aided by U.S.-led coalition forces - are pushing ahead with developing their country. One of the main projects is building the country's infrastructure. A 482-kilometer highway linking Afghanistan's two major cities, Kabul and Kandahar, has recently been paved and a road from Kandahar to the ancient city of Heart is under construction.

In 2004 and 2005, more than 1250 kilometers of secondary roads are scheduled to be paved. When security is fully restored, Afghanistan will be able to tap into some of its natural resources, including potentially vast gas reservoirs in northern Afghanistan.

Due to its strategic position between the Caspian gas reserves and the Indian Ocean, pipeline projects could bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Afghanistan's economy.

But with security shaky and tensions between India and Pakistan, Western companies have shown little interest in following through on pipeline construction. If Karzai can save Afghanistan from degenerating permanently into a "narco-state," he has the deep pockets of the United States helping him lift his country for the first time in decades out of war and chaos into peace and relative prosperity.

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WB gives $25m credit for improving Kabul infrastructure

By  Daud Khattak 

KABUL, August 11

(Pajhwok Afghan News)

The World Bank has provided $25 million of interest-free loan to the government for bringing improvement in the basic urban services in the most vulnerable areas of the central capital.

A press release issued here on Thursday said the amount so provided would be spent under the Kabul Urban Reconstruction Project. In this connection, the Ministry of Rural Development and Housing and the World Bank have jointly organized a three-day workshop scheduled to be held from Saturday to formally launch the project.

During the workshop, experts will deliver speeches and share experiences on urban up-gradation, arrangements for project implementation and collaboration among the ministry, municipality and the community during the course of the project completion. It merits a mention here that Kabul faces challenges in terms of urban services in the face of large-scale return of Afghans from abroad and other parts of the country.

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300 phone booths start functioning in Kabul

By: Mustafa Basharat

KABUL, August 11

(Pajhwok Afghan News)

Three hundred telephone booths, established by the communication ministry in different parts of this capital city, started functioning on Thursday. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Afghan Communication Minister Amirzai Sangeen said 150 booths had been set up in busy markets while the rest in populated areas of the city.

He added calling cards of 250 and 500 Afghanis could be used to make calls from the booths installed in line with growing public demands. A call to a digital and cell-phone number will respectively cost one and five Afghanis a minute while emergency numbers like those of police, firefighters and other services would be toll-free.

The telephone booths, made by the German giant Siemens, were purchased for two hundred thousand dollars by the government and installed by a private Afghan company. Kabul dwellers lauded the booths, hoping they would save them time as well as money in terms of local and international call expenses.

Mohammad Naveed of the Afghan central bank argued the step would help those who could not afford to have a mobile set. But another resident Ezatullah said: "The poor cannot pay the existing call charges."

The calling-booth system has been operationalizing at a time when two private mobile companies - Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) and Roshan - are doing a roaring business in the country, despite service imperfections and flaws.

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Bank Alfalah to open branch in Kabul

Bureau report The News International, Pakistan

11/8/05

PESHAWAR: The Bank Alfalah is starting its banking services in Afghanistan in September by opening a branch in Kabul.

The Kabul branch of the bank would open its doors either on September 3 or 12. Mohammad Saleem Akhtar, chief executive officer, Bank Alfalah Limited, Pakistan would announce the date of opening of the Kabul branch at a dinner being hosted by the bank in Peshawar today. Around 300 guests, including industrialists, traders, bankers and people from other relevant fields, have been invited to the dinner.

Muzammal Z Malik, Bank Alfalah?s country manager for Afghanistan, told The News that they surveyed the market in Afghanistan for two and a half years before deciding to open the branch in Kabul. He said a two kanal plot of land was bought in Kabul?s posh Shahr-i-Nau locality and work on a purpose-built building for the bank had started. "We would have round-the-clock banking operations in Kabul and ATM services would be introduced," he said.

According to Malik, Afghanistan after Bangladesh would be the second country where Bank Alfalah would be starting its international banking services in recent years. It would be the first UAE-based bank to operate a branch in Kabul. The bank had started its operations in Pakistan in 1997 and has now grown in size and stature. Owned by the royal Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi, the Bank Alfalah operates from its Karachi head office. The same group owns the UBL and the Warid Telecom in Pakistan and is going to build the Dhabi Towers, Pakistan?s tallest building, in Lahore. The group has made investment worth a billion dollars in Pakistan.

Among Pakistani banks, the National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank are presently operating branches in Afghanistan. In fact, the National Bank of Pakistan was the first international bank to set up a branch in Kabul and later it opened another one in Jalalabad.

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