The Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the country’s power distributor firm, is losing AFN300 million (more than $3.8 million) in revenues annually due to its limited access in insecure areas, the head of the company Amanullah Ghalib said on Monday.
Ghalib said they could not collect power bills in 17 districts last year and that the number will increase to 23 this year.
He said that overall the company suffered AFN850 million (more than $10.8 million) loss due to damage to its transmission lines and other facilities in various parts of the country by militants.
“Besides the fact that we can collect the revenues, last year transmission lines and other facilities were damaged 300 times,” said Ghalib.
Critics said the Afghan government should ensure the safety of Afghanistan’s economic and financial infrastructures.
“Strongmen in Kabul do not pay their bills and even there are several government officials who have not paid their bills for years and it’s a major problem. But the opponents in their areas where transmission lines exist, they destroy it and that is another issue,” said Abdul Qader Jailani, an analyst.
This comes as residents in various regions of Afghanistan, including the southern province of Helmand, once a key Taliban stronghold in the south, said the insurgents were seen collecting electricity bills in many areas in the province.
