Security

Nuristan safe, ready for investment: governor

Salaam Times

Nuristan Governor Hafiz Abdul Qayum speaks at a news conference December 6 in Kabul. [Government Media and Information Centre]

Nuristan Governor Hafiz Abdul Qayum speaks at a news conference December 6 in Kabul. [Government Media and Information Centre]

KABUL -- Nuristan Governor Hafiz Abdul Qayum is urging Afghan and international traders to invest in his province, saying it is safe, offers tourism opportunities and is free from the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS).

Qayum made his remarks Wednesday (December 6) at a news conference at the Government Media and Information Centre (GMIC) in Kabul.

The governor "strongly rejected" rumors about the presence and activities of ISIS in Nuristan, the GMIC said in a statement on its Facebook page. "There is not even a single person from the [ISIS] group active in Nuristan," the statement said.

Religious scholars have issued a fatwa against ISIS, Qayum said, while residents of Parun have been co-operating with the government to maintain security with regular patrols to keep the Taliban and ISIS out.

Safety and progress

All schools in the province are open, including those for girls, and students are studying without any challenges or fear, Qayum said.

Hospitals and clinics in district centres are also in good condition, he said, adding that dozens of midwives have completed training courses and that others are in training.

"During the past three years, 150km of rural road was constructed in Nuristan. The project to build a 44km-long road in Mandwal District will be completed within a year," he said.

Further touting the province's readiness for tourism investment, Qayum called the Nuristan provincial highway one of the safest roads in the country.

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