KABUL (March 16 2004): Afghanistan has lifted a ban on the import of live chickens from Pakistan, state news announced on Monday.

"Bird flu has been brought under the control in neighbouring countries - the Ministry of Public Health has lifted the ban on importing chicken from these countries," Bakhtar news agency reported.

Afghanistan had slapped the ban on the import of chickens in late January following the discovery that millions of chickens had succumbed to bird flu there.

Asia's bird flu outbreak claimed the lives of 22 people in the region and forced the culling of an estimated 100 million birds.

Courtesy Business Recorder