While coins of rupees one, two and five are legal tender across Pakistan, they are ‘banned’ in Turbat. People suffer losses, while retail outlets mint money. For instance, a medicine costing, say, Rs91 is sold to rounded-off amount of Rs100. Shopkeepers refuse to forgo even a single rupee, but they refuse to return the excess amount to the buyers. As such, the general perception is that the association of local traders is behind this ‘ban’ on coins in the city. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should take notice of the issue.
HAMMAL SHER JAN
TURBAT
