Printers cash in on Afghan vote

http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/SOU-01-270314.html



Printers cash in on Afghan vote
By Frud Bezhan
Mar 27, '14

KABUL - At Khurasan Press Company, business is booming. Inside the poorly lit printing house in Kabul, a cluster of young men operate half a dozen presses that churn out election billboards, posters, flags, and fliers around the clock.

For Khurasan, and many of the 150 printing houses in Kabul, the upcoming presidential and provincial elections have been a boon.

In the past, most campaign materials were produced abroad, but the April 5 poll has brought new business to the country's budding printing industry. That's because the Afghan government has told candidates this year that all printing material related to the election must be published inside the country to generate revenue and jobs.

Posters and billboards are seen as a crucial part of campaigning in Afghanistan, where reaching voters is difficult.