ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders on Sunday expressed concern over the erosion in the exchange rate as US dollar is being sold at Rs108 at the open market.
The local currency is shedding value despite the assurances of the government that it has no plan to devalue the currency and the efforts of the central bank, it said.
The value of the dollar should be brought down for which the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should stop lip-service and start taking action as the outcome of the meetings between central bankers and the currency dealers were short-lived, said Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders leader Shahid Rasheed Butt. He added that the masses seem mad about converting their savings into dollars which is a dangerous tendency that the government must reverse.
He also said that the difference in the value of interbank and market rate has jumped to Rs2.50 which is enough to encourage illegal channels. “Some dealers are also forwarding wrong reports to the central bank about the value of the dollar which warrants an action against them,” he added.
He also said that the decision of the government to reduce the value of US dollar, in line with the national interest, was laudable but it has not been implemented.
People have purchased around 800 million dollars during the last three months resulting in a crisis like situation, he said and added that this is prompting the government to intervene and reduce the value of the dollar by one rupee in two or three phases which is praiseworthy if implemented.
