As the weather gets colder in Kabul, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of the Islamic Emirate said it has signed a contract for 50,000 tons of coal with a domestic private company.

Houmayun Afghan, the spokesperson for the ministry, said that the ministry has a plan to determine specific selling locations in all 22 Police Districts [PDs] of Kabul on (Aqrab 15) in coordination with the Kabul Municipality.

“To provide quality coal to the residents of Kabul and reach the entire population of the capital city, we are working in close coordination with Kabul Municipality so that people in every PD can access the coal,” said Houmayun Afghan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

Kabul residents and coal sellers in the city have welcomed the initiative and said that the closure of Salang highway has not only caused a spike in prices of coal but also gas and fuel.

“The coal prices have increased by four to five times compared to last year because the Salang highway is closed,” said Abdulman Popal, a coal seller in Kabul.

“Coal and wood are expensive now and people cannot afford them, we ask the government to lower the prices,” said Sayed Mehdi, a Kabul resident.

Meanwhile, the representative of Kabul Municipality said that preparations are underway to prepare the selling locations in Kabul and added that they would closely monitor the prices of coal.

“Specifying selling locations in Kabul in ongoing and prices will also be monitored so that coal is not sold at high prices, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum is responsible for the quality and delivery of the coal to Kabul,” said Nematullah Barakzai, representative for the Kabul Municipality. 

As people are talking about their inability to purchase coal and heat their houses during the harsh winter, the Kabul Municipality of Kabul says that one ton of coal will be sold at 9 thousand Afghani [$121].