KABUL - The Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) on Tuesday said it had set a one-month deadline for 15 foreign companies to pay taxes to the government in line with the law of the land.

In addition to the 15 foreign companies, purchasers of 52 land plots in industrial parks were asked to launch activities within a month or the allotments would be scrapped.  

AISA Director Wafiullah Iftikhar told a press conference in Kabul licences of the foreign companies refusing to honour the country’s rules would be suspended.

If the companies do not complete the required process including tax payments, their businesses will be closed and they will lose the right to investment in Afghanistan.

He added there were a number of other companies that did not abide by the rules and their names would be disclosed after an assessment. 

He also expressed concerns that some people had obtained land plots in industrial park, but had not commenced industrial activity. “This is against the law and a strong blow to the economy.”

“We have invalidated licences of 4,000 companies, which didn’t conduct any activity,” he said. As many as 40,000 domestic and 5,000 foreign companies are functional in the country. (Pajhwok)