The Afghanistan currency, Afghani, has started to fall amid a crackdown on dollar smuggling in Pakistan, raising concerns among investors and businessmen in the country.

One US dollar reached 81 Afghani over the past five days, according to Afghanistan’s Tolo News. Last month, the dollar fell against Afghan currency from 88 Afghani to 72 Afghani.

The Afghan currency also fell against the Pakistani rupee. Till September 5, one Afghani was available at Rs4.19.

Tolo News has not mentioned the crackdown on dollar smuggling in Pakistan but the Union of Money Exchangers of Sarai Shahzada said that the fluctuations of Afghan currency against foreign currencies were due to the ban on the use of Pakistani rupees in the eastern parts of the country.

“We do not see any particular problem or cause in this regard, and my request to the people is not to make a mistake and not to spend their Afghan money,” said Abdul Rahman Zerak, a spokesman for the Union of Money Exchangers of Sarai Shahzada.

He was of the view that the Afghani was one of the monetary units that had maintained its stability well.

Efforts to maintain Afghan stability against foreign currencies were under way with the coordination of the central bank, said the Chamber of Commerce and Investment.

“Any currency in the world that fluctuates up and down is negative for trade,” said Khan Mohammad Sarfraz, an official of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment.

Some experts were of the view that large sum money exchange investors in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan might be behind the exchange rate fluctuations. The purpose of such fluctuations was to get more profit, they added.

“[They are] emptying the pockets of small money changers and medium money changers by means of big money changers who take the money from them - and when they get it, they slowly increase the value of the dollar to the first point and even higher,” said economist Sayed Masoud.

Amid the prevailing situation, the people have urged the municipalities to manage the price of groceries.

The Central Bank of Afghanistan auctioned $16 million US dollars on Tuesday to maintain Afghan stability.