Money market closed over union head’s arrest

KABUL): Moneychangers on Thursday closed the currency market in the central capital Kabul in protest against what they called the arrest of their union head by the Attorney General Office (AGO).

The arrest of Najibullah Akhtari, the head of Sara-i-Shahzada Market Moneychangers’ Union, had triggered their strike, currency dealer Haji Hashim told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Haji Roohullah and Mohammad Ismail Noorzai, who run a joint business, had referred their dispute to Akhtari for resolution through a jirga, said Hashim, also the union secretary.

He quoted Roohullah as saying that Ismail had to pay him millions of dollars — a claim rejected by Noorzai. The jirga, attended by Wolesi Jirga member Haji Sher Ali and some moneychangers, won an assurance from Noorzai to return the loan.’

The union head reportedly guaranteed Noorzai would pay the loan. Akhtari was subsequently detained by the AGO on the basis of Roohullah’s complaint on Wednesday that his loan had not been returned so far.

Hashim believed the problem should be resolved by the jirga, not by the government, because they dealt with similar issues on a daily basis. He warned they would continue their strike if the detainee was released.

mm/mud

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