A number of factory owners on Wednesday said that domestic investment in the country was still on the rise despite challenges on the security front. 

They called on government to outline a working economic strategy to attract foreign investment. 

Arghand-e-Bala is one informal industrial township located between Kabul and Maidan Wardak provinces where dozens of small factories are located. These factories contribute significantly to the national economy, said some factory owners. 

But they also stated that government failed to provide them with land to build factories and instead they had to purchase their own land.  

“If government focuses on industrial development and job creation, this will help people find jobs,” said a marble factory owner Liaqat. 

They said that many investors and businessmen are willing to invest in the country but to make this happen, government needs to outline programs which could be helpful to attract domestic and foreign investment. 

“We have bought the land with our own money, but some of this land is still disputed. We also don’t have electricity, we have electricity only for one or two hours a day,” said another factory owner Abdul Latif. 

Meanwhile the ministry of commerce and industries said government will soon establish a formal township for the factory owners.

At present, more than 40 factories are operating in Arghand-e-Bala area.