Local officials on Sunday said China has promised to spend more than $90 million on development projects in northeastern Badakhshan province. Governor Ahmad Faisal Bigzad, talking to a ceremony commemorating 16th death anniversary of Ahmad Shah Massoud here, said security situation was under control in Badakhshan.
He accused Pakistan on sponsoring terrorism and said the ongoing violence in Afghanistan was the result of Pakistan’s support to terrorist groups. Talking about the investment of foreign countries in Badakhshan, he said Chinese ambassador in his recent visit to the province promised to spend $70 million on extending fiber optic network from Kashgar city of China to Badakhshan.
“Implementation of this project is a good message for Badakhshan people that would strengthen commercial, cultural and social relations between Afghanistan and China, on the other hand, China would donate $20 million for construction of healthcare centers, school buildings and roads in rural areas and Wakhan, Ashkasham, Zibak and Sheghnan districts,” he said. Bigzad said that China also wanted to create a mountainous brigade unit of Afghan forces for the protection of Badakhshan border.
Security situation is currently good in the province and development projects are under implementation, but some people propagate about the security situation here, he added. “National Directorate of Security (NDS) should identify and arrest those figures who want to disrupt Badakhshan security and take them to justice,” Bigzad said. Ghulam Rabani, information technology director of Badakhshan, said, “The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) has previously signed an agreement with China on telecommunications, Badakhshan would be connected with fiber optic network through Wakhan border with China under the same agreement,”
He said that Badakhshan was connected with Kabul through Kunduz and Takhar province and the network from China would be also extended to the capital. Six of districts of the province are located on the way of the fiber optic line that would get benefit of cheap internet services, he added.
