[Tolo News] The Afghan government is determined to restore Kabul Bank and make sure people's deposits are kept safely, Afghan Minister of Finance said on Saturday.The government will make sure that the illegally withdrawn money from the Kabul Bank by some of its shareholders is paid back.
Afghan Finance Minister, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, said the government is making efforts to restore people's confidence in Kabul Bank.
"A part of the money withdrawn from the bank has been paid back, and the rest is to be paid soon. All those who owe the Bank money have been identified. Whether they are in Afghanistan or abroad, they will have to repay the money they have withdrawn," Mr Zakhilwal said.
The Ministry says it is the responsibility of Afghanistan Central Bank (DAB) to decide about Kabul Bank, but the Ministry of Finance suggests the bank to be run by the private sector.
"The ones who earlier ran the bank no longer deserve owning it, for the violations they committed," Mr Zakhilwal said.
Kabul Bank was taken over by Afghanistan Central Bank in September last year.
The government is planning to closely monitor all private banks in the future to prevent similar situation as the Kabul Bank crisis.
The comments come as reports previously published spoke of Kabul Bank being put into receivership.
The IMF had recently demanded that Kabul Bank should either be closed down or sold, otherwise a financial assistance programme for Afghanistan could be halted.
The UN had also warned that international donors may halt or redirect their assistance if the Afghan government failed to reach an agreement with International Monetary Fund.
Kabul Bank nearly collapsed last year but was taken over by Afghanistan Central Bank in September.
Some of the Kabul Bank shareholders are accused of using millions of dollars of depositors' money to buy property in Dubai.