Bleak outlook for bombed Afghan factory
- 11 years ago
This debris-strewn site on the outskirts of Kabul was, not long ago, home to a thriving factory.
The Spring Wish fruit juice plant was reduced to this in a split second by a suicide bomber.
Two people died in the blast.
Mustafa Sadiq's once-booming business is fighting for its industrial life.
Yet much of his anger is directed at Afghan authorities.
SOUNDBITE: MUSTAFA SADIQ, COMPANY OWNER, SAYING (English):
"So far nobody from the officials, just for the sake of sympathy, have called us, no-one so far and I'm just sad to see that because that gives you a feeling of how arrogant and careless these people are.
Before the blast the Spring Wish fruit juice company employed about 1,000 people.
Some 40,000 farmers across Afghanistan were also helped to earn a better living.
The company's pomegranate juice had a healthy international export market.
Today what's left of the plant runs with far fewer workers.
General Manager Mohammad Jarwad says people are worried for their livelihoods.
SOUNDBITE: MOHAMMAD JAWAD, EMPLOYEE, SAYING (Dari):
"Around 120 people have been working here and as you can see the factory is totally destroyed because of the suicide attack. We're worried that our workers will lose their jobs."
Afghanistan's government says it's committed to building up the economy, attracting foreign investment and helping Afghans secure a brighter future.
The country's chamber of commerce is warning the present situation is putting off investors.
In the meantime Mustafa Sadiq can only hope to rebuild his shattered business as best he can.
He may never know if his factory was the bomber's intended target or if it was the foreign-owned company nearby.
The Spring Wish fruit juice plant was reduced to this in a split second by a suicide bomber.
Two people died in the blast.
Mustafa Sadiq's once-booming business is fighting for its industrial life.
Yet much of his anger is directed at Afghan authorities.
SOUNDBITE: MUSTAFA SADIQ, COMPANY OWNER, SAYING (English):
"So far nobody from the officials, just for the sake of sympathy, have called us, no-one so far and I'm just sad to see that because that gives you a feeling of how arrogant and careless these people are.
Before the blast the Spring Wish fruit juice company employed about 1,000 people.
Some 40,000 farmers across Afghanistan were also helped to earn a better living.
The company's pomegranate juice had a healthy international export market.
Today what's left of the plant runs with far fewer workers.
General Manager Mohammad Jarwad says people are worried for their livelihoods.
SOUNDBITE: MOHAMMAD JAWAD, EMPLOYEE, SAYING (Dari):
"Around 120 people have been working here and as you can see the factory is totally destroyed because of the suicide attack. We're worried that our workers will lose their jobs."
Afghanistan's government says it's committed to building up the economy, attracting foreign investment and helping Afghans secure a brighter future.
The country's chamber of commerce is warning the present situation is putting off investors.
In the meantime Mustafa Sadiq can only hope to rebuild his shattered business as best he can.
He may never know if his factory was the bomber's intended target or if it was the foreign-owned company nearby.