KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai Tuesday issued a decree ordering that all private security firms in the country should be disbanded within four months.

"I approve the full disbandment of private security companies, both national and international, within four months," Karzai said in the decree.

The decision aims "to better provide security for the lives and property of citizens, fight corruption, prevent irregularities and the misuse of arms, military uniforms and equipment by private security companies," the decree said.

The plan has prompted concerns of a potential security crisis in the war-torn country, as there is little alternative to the private contractors.

Up to 40,000 armed personnel are employed across Afghanistan by more than 50 companies, roughly half of which are Afghan.

The firms provide security to the international forces, the Pentagon, the UN mission, aid and non-governmental organisations, embassies and Western media companies.

But Afghans criticise the private security forces as overbearing and abusive, particularly on the country`s roads.

Karzai has often complained that they duplicate the work of the Afghan security forces, and divert resources needed to train the army and police.

The president`s office said Monday that the deadline for disbanding the companies was January 1, 2011.

The decree ordered Afghan government institutions to buy the weapons and other equipment of international security firms before cancelling the visas of their staff.

It said employees of private security contractors could join the Afghan police force if they were eligible.

Any unregistered security companies would be treated as illegal companies and their weapons and equipment would be confiscated, the decree said.

The tight timetable for the security firms to disband has caused some consternation among the international community, though there is widespread support for the plan to rid the country of what many see as private militias.

The main concern is the perceived inability of the Afghan security forces to step into the breach, as many are regarded as incompetent or corrupt.

The US State Department on Monday described the deadline as "very challenging".

"We will see what we can do. Four months is a very challenging deadline," spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters, adding that Washington planned to study the decree to understand it better.

BDST: 1750 HRS, August 17, 2010