Afghan Shopkeepers Struggle as US Freezes Assets

Imagine running a business where your customers can’t pay you, and you can’t restock your shelves. That’s the daily reality for Sadaqat, a Kabul shopkeeper, who spoke to CGTN about Afghanistan’s cash crisis after the US froze $9.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets.

\"People come with empty pockets,\" Sadaqat says, describing how frozen accounts paralyze transactions. Withdrawals are blocked, leaving residents to barter essentials like flour and oil. Even simple purchases – soap, rice, medicine – have become logistical nightmares.

The freeze, intended as political leverage, hits hardest at street-level entrepreneurs. Small businesses – from bakeries to pharmacies – report sales drops of 60-70%. Yet Sadaqat remains hopeful: \"This won’t last forever. We’ve survived wars – we’ll survive this too.\"

As global markets watch Afghanistan’s economy unravel, locals cling to resilience. Could grassroots trade networks or digital currencies offer lifelines? For now, survival means adapting – one sack of flour at a time.

Reference(s):

Afghan Voices: I hope business will return to normal

cgtn.com