Kabul Municipality Denies Imposing Fines on Price Gougers
Nematullah Barkazi, a representative of the Kabul Municipality, has dismissed recent reports on social media claiming that the municipality has imposed cash fines on price gougers, calling these reports baseless. He stated that the municipality has not made any such decision.
According to Barkazi, the process of handling price gouging cases by the Kabul Municipality is carried out according to disciplinary principles and currently involves sealing the shops of offenders. He added that if the violation is repeated, shop owners will be referred to judicial and legal authorities.
In recent months, rising costs of raw materials in several areas of Kabul have raised concerns among city residents. However, the Taliban administration has yet to present a clear and specific plan to control price fluctuations and effectively monitor markets, instead emphasizing punitive measures.
Some economic experts believe that a sustainable fight against price gouging requires regular supervision, transparency in pricing, and addressing the root causes of price increases—issues that city officials are expected to give serious attention to alongside disciplinary actions.
