Kabul: Taliban authorities recently shut down shops in the Uruzgan region of Afghanistan for using Pakistani currency.

Officials of the committee for Afghani Promotion told Tolo News that the usage of foreign currency has been banned in this province and will deal legally with violators.

“We will keep this process going until people in this province use afghanis completely,” said Yosif, a member of the committee for Afghani Promotion.

Some residents welcomed the decision and asked Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to address the issue of the lack of Afghan banknotes in the country.

“People come to our shop and use rupees for their daily shopping, if we ask for Afghani they go to another shop,” Ihsanullah, a shopkeeper, told Tolo News.

“We call on the government to not force people into this, and they will know our national Identity slowly,” Sher Mohammad, another resident, told the news portal.

Pakistani currency has been used by the local people of Uruzgan for several years now.

However, initiatives have been taken in recent times to popularise Afghan currency.