Amid economic crisis in Afghanistan, online shopping services to shut after Taliban takeover 

Nearly all of Afghanistan's main online shopping services have closed, with the two biggest online shopping services, Click.af and Baqal, recently announcing their closure due to the country's financial turmoil.

The South Asian country has been in a complete state of turmoil for over a year now, ever since the Taliban seized power. The Taliban dismantled the system to address gender-based violence, erected new obstacles to women's healthcare and education, and even attacked women's rights protesters.

Click.af, a well-known online shopping app, announced its closure on Saturday (September 10). The firm posted a message on its Facebook page stating its closure due to financial issues.

Baqal on Sunday (September 11), a three-year-old company, declared its collapse owing to financial difficulties.

Both companies posted their closures on their respective Facebook pages.

The owner of Click, Masih Stanekzai, said, "The precarious economic situation, the capital flight, and the stalling of the economic cycle led sales in the market to be severely affected, and Click.af is no exception," ANI reported.

Baqal, on the other hand, a medium-sized investment, ultimately failed due to a decline in the purchasing power of locals and the freezing of customers' money due to the Taliban's restrictions on the banking industry.

Online services in Afghanistan have facilitated and improved communications between customers and retailers. The online taxi service, Bubbar, and Hindukosh, an online shopping website, were closed a few months after the collapse of the country's administration.

Afghanistan is in trouble, with nearly 59 per cent of the population currently requiring humanitarian aid—an increase of six million people since the beginning of the year 2021.

(With inputs from agencies)