A recent decision by the Council of Ministers to permit Ghazanfar Group to import semi-refined crude oil has been met with opposition from the Association of Oil Importers (AOI).
AOI warned that a work strike would be launched and most of oil importers would have to halt investment in Afghanistan if the Council of Ministers does not review its decision.
The Council's decision in favor of Ghazanfar was called unfair. AOI claimed that Ghazanfar's refinement operations were never properly investigated by a competent delegation before the Council handed down their decision.
AOI members continued onslaughts against Ghazanfar and the importing of semi-refined oil, called "premagon," which is suggested to be dangerous for human health and the environment.
"Importing of premagon into the market harms health of people and pollute the air," a member of the Association named Azraksh Hafezi told TOLOnews.
Back in August, the AOI and other oil market stakeholders launched accusations against Ghazanfar claiming they were adulterating their imported semi-crude oil by treating it with stabilizers, all under the pretext of refinement, which then allowed the company to charge prices that undercut the market.
They claimed Ghazanfar lacked the capability to refine the semi-crude oil, so a government delegation was eventually sent to the company's northern refinery. However, nothing has since come of the investigation.
According to the Council of Ministers, Ghazanfar Group is legally allowed to import 500,000 tons of semi-refined oil per year.