Afghan citizens have recently started complaint about worn-out and old Afghani banknotes. They say old and worn-out banknotes have recently added to problems of traders and ordinary citizens in the country’s markets. Most people with their old banknotes return home with empty hands as most shopkeepers do not accept them.
A number of Afghan citizens in their interviews with The Kabul Times correspondent said most banks were giving their customers old and worn-out banknotes.
“I’ve come to the bank, but unfortunately they give us the banknotes which are all worn-out and old and not accepted by shopkeepers in Kabul market,” said Nazifa, a school teacher.
She asked the Islamic Emirate to collect all worn-out and old banknotes from the market and distribute new banknotes to the traders and people.
Baryali, another resident of Kabul, says government employees are mostly given old and worn-out banknotes in banks when they go for getting their salaries, while these banks do not accept old and worn-out banknotes from their customers.
Meanwhile, shopkeepers are facing with similar problems in Kabul markets. According to Kabul shopkeepers, manufacturing companies and banks do not accept old banknotes when we accept such banknotes from our customers. “We have to reject old banknotes of my customers as no banks and manufacturing companies are accepting the old banknotes we usually get from our customers,” said Haroon, a local shopkeeper in Kabul.
Previously, a spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Zabihullah Mujahid had said that the IEA was working to find a way for solution of old Afghani banknotes. No practical action has been taken in this regard so far.
Lack of quality in paper used for banknotes and poor culture to protect the notes from getting damaged are the main reasons of increasing old Afghani banknotes in the country. Previously, Central Bank or Da Afghanistan Bank were collecting the old and worn-out banknotes and destroying them every year.
Some economic experts believe that Central Bank or Da Afghanistan Bank should rise awareness of the people on the matter in order to protect the banknotes from becoming defaced and worn-out. The country’s central bank has declared all the people are obliged to make use of the old Afghani banknotes, except those not valid. With increasing copies of old and worn-out Afghani banknotes most Afghan citizens are facing with problems in their transactions as one accept them and one don’t.
Shukria Kohistani
Increasing worn-out Afghani banknotes causing serious problems
