VALENTINES DAY IN AFGHANISTAN

Video. Budding industry: Valentine's Day blooms in conservative Afghanistan

Afghans shopped for fresh red roses and gifts for their loved ones in a Kabul market on Thursday to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Afghans shopped for fresh red roses and gifts for their loved ones in a Kabul market on Thursday to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Farahnaz Haidari, 22, who received a bouquet of roses from her fiancé Shah Nazar Suhrabi, said the gift made their relationship "more adorable".

Shops in the market were decked-out in red and white balloons, fresh flowers and proclamations of love, sharply contrasting with Afghanistan's traditionalistic society which largely views Valentine's Day as a western concept and contrary to the Islam religion.

A flower vendor at the market said that Valentine's Day sales were down compared with the recent years.