Business transactions in rupees surge in south: People

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Transactions in Pakistani rupees have surged again in southeastern Paktia province and nieghboring Paktika and Khost recently.

Residents and shopkeepers in these provinces say that after about three years, transactions in Pakistani rupees in the market have increased and people are using the currency more than the afghani.

Hamidullah Pakteen, a wholesaler in Gardez, blamed the lack of control over the situation by the authorities.

Raz Mohammad, a resident of Khost province, believed that the rupee was being promoted under a systematic plan by neighboring Pakistan.

“The more you circulate rupees, the better for Pakistan. That’s why they work regularly and run their own currency here and it should be stopped in the earliest possible,” he urged.

Besmillah Sherinwal, a resident of Sharan, criticized people for using the currencies of neighboring countries instead of valuing their national currency.

But Mullah Khaliqyar Ahmadzai, Paktia’s director of information and culture, said he was taking the issue seriously.

“By no means will the currency of our neighbors and foreigners be our market currency here. We are committed to maintaining the value of the afghani, and the policy is that traders and shopkeepers are advised to do all transactions in afghanis,” Ahmadzai said.

sa/ma