Car sales, prices plunge dramatically in Mazar-i-Sharif

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Car dealers in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, say the sale and purchase of private cars has declined due to the ongoing economic crisis, with the car prices falling by 30 to 40 percent.

The car dealers called on the government to take positive steps to avert an economic crisis in Afghanistan.

Mohammad Arif, who owns a car showroom in Mazar-i-Sharif, told Pajhwok Afghan News his business had suffered after the political upheaval in the country.

He added that restrictions on money in banks, lack of physical money in the market as well as poverty among the people had led to a slowdown in the buying and selling of cars.

“Obviously, when the business of people is bad, the employees are not paid their salaries and the business of traders is in trouble, then the car business also suffers,” he said.

Fakhruddin, head of another car dealership in Mazar-i-Sharif, told Pajhwok Afghan News that in addition to the sluggish car buying and selling market, cars had also lost their prices.

In the past, he said, he would sell an average of six to seven cars a month. But now it he sold only five cars in 20 days in November.

“If the situation continues like this and the economic problems of the people are not solved, many car showrooms may be closed due to lack of business.”

Lal Mohammad, a resident of Balkh, who was visiting a car showroom, said he had come to the showroom to buy a car. He told Pajhwok Afghan News he needed a car for his family, but with the rising value of the dollar, the afghani he had saved for the car was not enough and he had either relinquish the idea of buying a car or save more money.

Abdul Sabur Noori, an economist, said the rise in the US dollar had a negative impact on business. He added that there were still restrictions on money in banks and many people could not access their money locally.

He said in response to a question that if the government and responsible institutions do not prevent the economic crisis in Afghanistan, the current situation may turn into a humanitarian catastrophe.

On the other hand, government officials had earlier told Pajhwok Afghan News that the new government was formed, so some time was needed to resolve most of the issues.

Many traders and businessmen in Afghanistan are complaining about the current state of their business at a time when the United Nations has warned that Afghanistan’s economy could collapse if the world does not pay attention.

The Afghan government has repeatedly called for healthy bilateral relations with the international community and called on the world to help the Afghan people.

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