Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund Lays Foundation Stone for Industrial Township in Balkh

The Deputy PM for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, today (Friday), September 18, 2026, laid the foundation stone for the Imam Shaqiq Balkhi (RA) Industrial Township at the Hairatan Two-Way intersection in Balkh Province.
Speaking at the ceremony held on the occasion, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund said that the priority of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is to gradually transform Afghanistan into a productive country and its young human resources into a productive workforce. He said efforts are also focused on connecting industry, production and markets, and making quality products available to regional and global markets.
The Deputy PM for Economic Affairs added that the Balkh Industrial Township demonstrates in practice the Islamic Emirate’s commitment, strategic vision and strong determination to build an industrial and productive Afghanistan. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund further stated that the project would help address the shortage of industrial land in the province, provide opportunities for industrialists to operate, reduce reliance on imports, and create employment opportunities for thousands of citizens.
The Deputy PM described Balkh as one of the country’s important commercial, transit and industrial provinces and said that the Hairatan Port should not serve merely as a route for imported goods and routine movement. Rather, the route should become an important transit corridor for exporting Afghanistan’s processed products and manufactured goods.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund called on the international community to fully open the doors to formal economic relations with Afghanistan and lift financial and banking restrictions. The Deputy PM for Economic Affairs said that the Islamic Emirate has both the capacity and the determination to actively participate in regional and global partnerships.
At the conclusion, the Deputy PM called on all industrialists to take advantage of this opportunity and invest in various sectors within the industrial township. He assured them that the Islamic Emirate would provide the necessary facilities and cooperation.
It is worth noting that the Balkh Industrial Township will be established on 22,000 jeribs of land and will provide opportunities across various sectors for the processing of raw materials, production of standardized products, and their export.