KABUL (SW) – A rejuvenated campaign to promote the use of local currency, afghani to replace the Pakistani rupees is faced with multiple impediments.
Among some of these challenges include shortage of small currency notes, the lack of regulation in currency conversion rates and self-styled devaluation by forex traders of the old and worn-out currency bills.
A remarkable headway has been witnessed in this campaign to promote afghani to replace rupee in everyday trade in provinces such as Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman, Nuristan, Khost, Paktika, Ghazni, Kandahar and a number of other provinces.
Salam Watandar correspondents in these provinces said a notable surge is seen in the use of afghani since the campaign was launched last month.
The residents are, however, skeptical about the long-term consequences of this in the wake of lack of regulations.
The officials also acknowledge the glitches associated with the sudden shift from rupee to afghani.
To tackle the issue, Shah Mehmood Miakhail, governor of Nanghar province on Saturday injected fresh bills worth AFN 200 million in the market. He urged the citizens to join hands with the government in this connection.
Some of the Nangarhar residents blamed the forex traders for taking advantage of the situation to make quick profit by creating artificial shortage of small currency notes.
Paktia governor, Shamim Katawazi, has been campaigning to promote afghani against rupee for a year now, but is far away from eliminating the Pakistani currency from the market.
In neighboring Khost, governor Talib Mangal has vowed to continue with the campaign to promote afghani until it completely replaces rupee here.
ENDS
