President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday officially launched the coupon distribution program to families of fallen soldiers in a move to honor the sacrifices made by members of the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF).

An agreement to implement the program was signed between Ghani and Elham Hotaki, the head of National Procurement Authority (NPA). 

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Presidential Palace (ARG), Hotaki said that last year his organization managed to save over 18 billion AFs from contracts and the coupon distribution initiative will be executed from this money saved.   

Meanwhile, Ghani said that once the coupon distribution program has been rolled out in Kabul, it will be extended to other provinces. 

“All stores will make sure the goods noted on the coupons are delivered to families of the martyrs, who have undergone a proper biometric process, in a timely and transparent manner,” said Ghani. 

The program will run for one year, officials said.  

At the ceremony, Ghani reiterated that the nation will not forget the sacrifices made by Afghan security forces while defending their country. 

“We will not allow anyone to pose harm to the security forces in the name of peace. They should take this idea out of their brains. We will not allow them to sell out the tanks, aircrafts and other equipment as scrap metal to the neighbor,” said Ghani, referring to a recent remark by Abbas Stanikzai, a senior Taliban official in Qatar, who suggested that Afghan forces should be dissolved once the US forces withdraw.