Prices of cement have decreased considerably after Pakistan resumed free-of-duty exports to Afghanistan.

Pakistani official said after the lifting of the ban on cement exports to Afghanistan, about 100,000t of the commodity had been exported to the landlocked country.

Shahood Alam, an official of Pakistan customs department, told Pajhwok Afghan News exports to Afghanistan would further increase in the days ahead. They had banned cement exports to Afghanistan due to rise in its prices in the country.

After the ban on cement exports to Afghanistan from Pakistan, its prices shot up in Kabul and the provinces causing a blow to construction work in many areas.

Bashir Afghanzada, head of Afghanzada Business Company, who imports cement from Pakistan, said due to the ban, price of 50kg bag of cement increased to 380 from 280 afghanis. However, he said, the price had now come down to 300 afghani since the lifting of the ban.