Kabul residents under financial constraints, cannot afford to buy wood, coal

Kabul [Afghanistan], November 12 : Several residents in Kabul have complained and reported that they are unable to buy coal and firewood because of financial difficulties, especially when winters are approaching, Pajhwok News reported.
In Kabul's Chahar Rahi Shaheed neighbourhood, vendors of coal and firewood said that the public's willingness to buy these goods had decreased by 50 per cent as a result of economic woes.
One of the wood vendors, Abdul Hakim, stated that whereas he was selling more than 10 tonnes of wood per day last year, he is currently selling more than 1.5 tonnes of coal and firewood per day.
According to Abdul Hakim, 560 kilogrammes of Archa wood cost between 2,700 and 8,000 afs last year, while 560 kilogrammes of Baloot wood cost between 7,000 and 8,000 afs, reported Pajhwok News.
"The price of coal had declined because the government reduced duty on coal and its exports to Pakistan had declined but the Bora Arah price declined because of reduction in its demand; people are unable to purchase it thus shopkeepers had reduced its rate," he said.
When questioned about the cost of firewood, the respondent stated that since the government forbade deforestation and obstructed transportation routes, the cost of wood has increased, according to Pajhwok News.
One of the firewood vendors in Taimani's Chaman Babrak neighbourhood, Jamshid, admitted that the cost of wood had increased.
"There are no customers; a few people whose relatives are in the foreign country get remittances and then they could purchase wood but most of the people are poor and unable to purchase wood," Pajhwok News quoted him as saying.
Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the country's economic situation has deteriorated. The Afghans have repeatedly complained of lack of basic amenities under the interim government and the country is now heavily dependent on humanitarian aid.