Balkh residents want to get rid of worn-out banknotes

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Common people and moneychangers complain they face problems in daily transactions by using worn-out banknotes, urging the government to distribute new banknotes in the market.

Wahid, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, said that old banknotes were out of use and people faced difficulties in transactions as a result.

“When you pay 100afs note to a taxi driver, he pays back 80afs of 10afs denominations which are in poor condition and no one accepts them from me,” he added.

Habiullah, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, said that the circulation of old banknotes had surged in the market and new banknotes were rarely seen.

He urged the government to collect all old banknotes and replace them with new ones.

Niamatullah Mowahid, a moneychanger at Kefayat market, said each 100-dollar note was exchanged about 300 afs higher against old banknotes then new ones.

Mowahid added the worn-out notes had created many problems and the government must address the issue.

Abdul Qayum, director of moneychangers in Balkh, acknowledged the problem and said moneychangers and their customers daily clashed over old banknotes.

Hasibullah Noori, a spokesman for Da Afghanistan Bank, said the central bank had distributed new banknotes to commercial banks and was collecting the old notes.

Earlier, officials of the central bank had said they could not distribute new notes in the market at once because it causes inflation and the afghani would lose its value.

sa/ma