Monday 02 / September / 2024
HAIRATAN: The clatter of trains, the sight of scattered containers, and the lines of trucks awaiting goods in the Hairatan land port of north Afghanistan present a stark contrast to the country's economic challenges. Each day, thousands of people are busily working here to support their families.
Previously serving merely as a bridge between Afghanistan and neighboring Uzbekistan, the Hairatan crossing point in Balkh province has evolved into a bustling hub since the arrival of the first cargo train from China in September 2016.
"It is about one and a half years since our company hired two more employees due to the increase in containers arriving from China. Now we have four people working here," Hashmatullah, a representative of the local transport company Ferdows Barin, told Xinhua.
The establishment of this land corridor, connecting landlocked Afghanistan to Central Asian states and onward to China, represents a step towards the revival of the ancient Silk Road.
Hashmatullah, speaking from Hairatan port, noted that trade relations between Afghanistan and China via the crossing have gained momentum over the past three years, creating direct and indirect employment for many.
"Job opportunities have been created for numerous individuals, including drivers and local workers, allowing them to earn a living for their families," Hashmatullah said.
On average, around five to six trains, each carrying at least 180 wagons, enter Hairatan port from Uzbekistan daily, according to Mawlawi Mohammad Shafiq Mahmoud, the director of the railway management authority in Balkh province.
"The route linking China to Afghanistan via Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan through Hairatan is significant because it is cheaper, faster, and more secure," Mahmoud told Xinhua.
Afghanistan exports talc, cotton, and licorice to China via the Hairatan railroad, Mahmoud said, adding that the caretaker administration is considering the export of pine nuts through this route.
Exports to China via Pakistan and Iran can take months, Mahmoud noted.
Describing Hairatan dry port as the primary gateway connecting landlocked Afghanistan to Central Asia, China, and Europe, another official at the port, Sayed Maqsoud Watanyar, said that Hairatan is the busiest port in Afghanistan, operating around the clock.
"About 150 to 180 wagons are loaded and unloaded here every day. Additionally, approximately 500 to 550 trucks are loaded daily in Hairatan and transport goods to Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul, Jalalabad, Farah, Nimroz, Kandahar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Badakhshan, and other parts of the country," Watanyar told Xinhua.
The official also noted that 35 to 40 containers, some 20 feet and some 40 feet, containing a variety of goods including telephones, computers, and solar panels, are unloaded in Hairatan daily.
Hairatan port in Afghanistan has been serving as a bridge between Central Asia and South Asia, the official said, adding that neighboring Pakistan also exports products including oranges, potatoes, and sugar to Central Asia via Hairatan port.
"We have modern facilities at the port. In the past, working hours were from 8 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. in the customs offices, but currently, employees work until midnight, and the administrative office operates 24 hours. If a trader needs us at midnight, we are ready to serve," Watanyar said.
