RASC News Agency: Several car dealerships in Nimroz province report that the Taliban are demanding 1,500 kabuli rupees from both buyers and sellers for each car transaction. Naseer Ahmad, a car dealer in Nimroz, told RASC on Saturday, May 4, that the Taliban have stationed a special representative in car dealerships in Pul-e Pashtun and closely monitor all transactions involving the buying or selling of cars.
He added that business has declined compared to the previous government, and the Taliban have imposed stricter restrictions on car dealers. According to Ahmad, under the previous administration, he used to sell up to 10 cars daily, including Afghanistani and Pakistani models, to residents of Herat province. Now, this number has dropped significantly.
Halim Alizai, another car dealer in Nimroz province, told RASC that the majority of car sales occur during the winter season. He said that Pakistani-used cars sell at a significantly higher rate compared to Afghanistan-used cars at the dealerships. According to him, the main reason for this preference is the consistency and quality of the Pakistani-used cars.
Alizai noted that people tend to favor Pakistani-used cars over other types. Rafi Mohammadi, a member of the Car Dealership Council in Nimroz province, told RASC that most dealerships are controlled by individuals closely associated with the Taliban. He stated that the Taliban charge between 1,000 and 1,500 kabuli rupees for each car sale, and no one knows what this money is used for or why it is taken from the dealerships.
Meanwhile, Khalil Ahmad, a resident of Nimroz, told RASC, “At the moment, people are struggling just to provide for their families; they can’t even think about buying a car.” He added that the economic situation is so dire that people cannot afford to purchase other goods and equipment. He pointed out that the ability to buy cars is now only available to members of the Taliban, as they control all revenue sources and live in luxury day and night.
He added, “If there were a system with no distinction between the rich and the poor, an Islamic government would have been feasible.” Efforts to obtain comments from Taliban officials were unsuccessful as they declined to speak.
