Taliban Closes Six Shops in Nangarhar for Using Pakistani Rupee

The Taliban has closed six shops in Mohmand Dara district of Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan for using the Pakistani rupee in daily business transactions.

Syed Tayeb Hamad, spokesperson for the Taliban police command in Nangarhar, said on Saturday that a committee monitoring the market sealed four wholesale shops, one mobile phone shop, and one bakery. He emphasized the prohibition on using Pakistani currency in Afghanistan's daily transactions and warned of legal action against violators.

The measure aligns with a broader Taliban policy banning foreign currencies in local markets. Late last year, the deputy commander of Taliban security in Nangarhar announced the formation of committees to enforce the ban and promote the afghani, per orders from the prime minister.

The Taliban issued a statement in August 2021, early in its rule, urging people, shopkeepers, and traders to conduct all transactions in afghani. The previous Afghan government had also imposed strict bans on Pakistani rupee use in provinces bordering Pakistan, including Nangarhar.