Construction Begins on Afghanistan’s First Aluminum Can Factory and Multiple Power Projects in Herat
The Economic Deputy of the Taliban’s Prime Minister’s Office has announced that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the economic deputy of the administration, laid the foundation stone for the “Pamir” aluminum can manufacturing factory in Herat’s industrial parks on Thursday. Simultaneously, several major electricity transmission and distribution projects were also launched.
According to official information, the Pamir factory is the first aluminum can production center in Afghanistan, being built with an investment of 120 million US dollars. This project is being implemented on a 16-jerib plot within Herat’s industrial towns.
Officials say that upon completion, the factory will provide employment opportunities for approximately 1,700 people and is considered a step towards increasing domestic production and reducing reliance on imports—claims that the Taliban administration has repeatedly made in the past.
In addition to this industrial project, the Economic Deputy of the Prime Minister’s Office reported that nine major electricity transmission and distribution projects in Herat have either commenced or been inaugurated. The total value of these projects is announced to be approximately 3.98 billion Afghanis.
Similarly, the office stated that a few days ago, electrification work began in the Qushtepa and Darzab districts of Jowzjan province, with a budget of about two billion Afghanis.
While the Taliban administration regards these projects as signs of increased investment and progress toward economic self-sufficiency, critics consistently emphasize that a lack of transparency, extensive political and economic restrictions, and the exclusion of large segments of society—especially women—could hinder the sustainable realization of such goals.
