Is paying Interest also Haram?

Assalam Alaykum everyone. Recently I was exploring the topic of Riba and I came across a Pakistani scholar named “Javed Ahmed Ghamidi”. According to his opinion, Quran only condemns those who take Riba while those who pay interest on the loans which they take for their needs are oppressed and Quran doesn’t condemn them. He also mentions the Hadith in which Prophet Muhammad(P.B.U.H) cursed those who take and give interest, but he says that here “giver” means those agents which collect interest on the behalf of their masters. I’m also sharing the excerpt from his book “Selected Essays”. Need expert opinion from @Mufti_Faraz_Adam and @Mufti_Billal on this issue.
Jazak Allah Khair.image

Wa alaykum salaam,

This view is incorrect. Receiving and paying interest are both Haram. Logically, if Riba is wrong (which we know it is), why would guidance support paying Riba but not taking Riba? If that was the case, you are actively promoting it. How can paying Riba be permitted but taking Riba be unlawful? There would be no scenario to practice on such an idea as taking Riba would be unlawful!

Allah knows best