A Kandahar textile factory has resumed operations after a 45 year break, provincial officials confirmed Thursday.
According to them, the factory has 3,000 machines, of which 400 are now operational and fabric is being produced.
The factory shut down operations for 45 years due to war, but now with the facility up-and-running, fabric is being made and clothing will be provided to the ministries of public health, national defense, interior and the general directorate of intelligence.
Factory officials said if the ministries give them contracts, they can resume operations on as many as 2,600 machines and provide jobs to 12,000 people.
Sixty four of the 400 machines in operation are used to process cotton and have the capacity to enormous amounts of fabric.
Kandahar residents have welcomed the reactivation of the factory and say it will help provide locals with jobs.
The textile factory was established in 1975 but it soon closed down after war broke out.
Dozens of other factories faced a similar fate but since regaining power in August 2021, the Islamic Emirate has been hard at work to restart these factories.
One example is the state-owned bread factory, Silo-e-Markazi or central silo, which is located in Kabul. Two years ago, this factory resumed production after a hiatus of thirty years.