Taliban govt starts extracting oil in Afghanistan

• 200 tonnes of oil being extracted from nine wells in Qashqari basin.
• Officials hope to increase extraction of oil to more than 1,000 tonnes. 
• Taliban signed agreement with Chinese firm last year to extract oil.

The Taliban-led Afghanistan has begun the oil extraction from the wells in the Qashqari oilfield in Sar-e-Pul province, Anadolu reported on Sunday. 

"Priority will be given to the employment of technical and non-technical staff and the reconstruction of the mine using the revenues of Sar-e-Pul," the Bakhtar News Agency quoted acting Mines and Petroleum Minister Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar as saying.

His comments came during an inauguration ceremony of the wells which was attended by several senior Taliban officials. 

Terming the country’s mines as an important economic source, Delawar said that the people of Afghanistan should fully harness the sources of the mines. 

Mullah Mohammad Nadar Haqjo, who is the acting governor of Sar-e-Pul, said that the country is focusing on its development through internal resources. He also assured that the incompleted projects in the last 20 years will be finalised. 

According to a statement issued by the Mines and Petroleum Ministry, there are 10 wells in the Qashqari basin and about 200 tonnes of oil is being extracted from the nine. 

However, the officials hope to increase the capacity of extraction from 200 tonnes to more than 1,000 tonnes. 

The Taliban signed an agreement with a Chinese company last year to extract oil from Sar-e-Pul.

Moreover, the interim Afghan Taliban government and a Chinese firm also closed a 25-year deal for the extraction of oil from the Amu River basin and the development of an oil reserve in the north.

The Chinese company will initially invest $150 million which will be increased to $540 million in three years. 

There is more than $1 trillion worth of untapped resources in Afghanistan which attract foreign investors.