This downturn is attributed to severe power shortages, which have resulted in the unfortunate loss of thousands of jobs for the local people, reports Khaama Press.

Officials have reported that a significant portion of Herat city, encompassing its industrial hub, relies on imported electricity from Iran, the Afghanistani news agency reported.

However, there has been a 70 per cent reduction in the volume of energy procured from across the border over the past week.

“Herat industrial town has 30 megawatts of electricity, of which approximately 70 megawatts of electricity has been cut from the substation of Herat industrial town by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and this problem continues all the time,” Hamidullah Khadim, head of Chamber of Industries and Mines in Herat, told Tolo News.

Khadim emphasized that they have engaged in numerous discussions with government officials regarding this issue; however, regrettably, no concrete actions have been taken to address and rectify the problem.