Afghans rush to trade in old bank notes for new ones

Afghans rushed to trade in the last of their old bank notes for the country’s new currency on Thursday, the final day of a three-month monetary overhaul that the government hopes will give it firm control over once-chaotic financial policies.

Lax controls in past years had allowed three separate currencies—some printed by warlords—to flourish side by side. Thursday was the last day to trade in old Afghanis and there were many people coming to change them than usual.

Crisp, clean and colourful new bills first hit the streets of the Capital on October 7. A reason for introducing the new currency was to make transactions once requiring stacks of old bills — much easier to carry out.

An initial deadline, set in December, was extended a month because of logistic problems transporting new notes to remote areas.