MARDAN, March 2: Business community and people here have expressed concern over the wide circulation of fake currency notes of different denominations, which is causing financial loss to them. Talking to this correspondent, several residents of Mardan city said that counterfeit notes, especially of Rs1,000 and Rs500 denominations, were in circulation in the market for last few months and no action was taken against the elements involved in this anti-state activity.

They said that the problem was now the talk of the town, but police and other law-enforcement agencies were yet to move to curb the menace. The residents said that some traders had bought machines to check currency notes, but this was not possible for the common people and businessmen who used to move from one place to other in connection with their business activities.

They said that mostly illiterate and poor people had been falling victim to frauds involving counterfeit notes. Besides, this menace is particularly on the rise in rural areas.

Majeed Khan, who works at a medical store, told this correspondent that during last four months he had received eight fake notes of Rs1,000 denomination, which he could not detect due to rush of customers.

“My employer has been deducting the same amount from my salaries,” he said.

Abdul Jalil, a lawyer, claimed that one of his friends had found a few fake currency notes in cash he drew from a bank. “This is a mafia which is backed by influential political people of the city,” he alleged.

A businessman, Imtiaz Khan, however, said that it was not the duty of only police and other government departments to control crime, but politicians, teachers, ulema, lawyers and other people should play their role in reforming the society and raise their voice against every evil.

Tariq Ahmad, a member of civil society, said that circulation of counterfeit notes could be checked only through a crackdown against those involved in this illegal activity. He urged the authorities to take a joint action against the elements involved in this crime.

“I bought some daily-use commodities from Gaju Khan Market and got a Rs500 note in balance. When I went to other shop the shopkeeper refused to accept the note saying it was fake. I went back to the first shopkeeper who also refused to own it. This way

I suffered Rs500 loss,” said Waqar Khan, a student of MSc sociology.

The residents and traders have demanded of the government and State Bank of Pakistan to take notice of circulation of fake currency notes, which had been causing loss to them and the country.