LANDIKOTAL: Transporter unions, cabbies and owners of various terminals staged a rally and blocked Torkham-Landikotal road to protest establishment of a checkpoint near Torkham border.
Led by tribal elders Farzand Shinwari and Rahim Gul Shinwari, scores of drivers, their union leaders and people who own terminals of buses, coaches and cabs marched from Torkham bazaar and gathered at Shaheed Mor, about 500 yards from the border.
They were holding placards and black flags and chanted slogans against Khyber Rifles. The protesters blocked Pak-Afghan highway for two hours as protest against the ‘illegal’ checkpoint and unnecessary checking of commuters.
Farzand Shinwari said that the security personnel, including Khassadars, had been performing duties at the main Torkham gate. He said when people from Afghanistan and Pakistan crossed the border and hired taxi-cabs, they were stopped at Shaheed Mor again for checking of travel documents.
Farzand Shinwari said it was injustice against the passengers and cabdrivers to ask them to return after they already crossed the border. He said several of serious patients from Afghanistan were sent back for having no proper travel documents.
He said it was not in the Pakhtun culture to ask women for their identity cards and other travel documents as they had been allowed to enter Pakistan at the same time by the Khyber Rifles personnel.
Rahim Gul Shinwari said when the security personnel stopped cabs, passenger coaches and other private and official cars, which leads to blockade of the road and traffic jams. He said most of the passenger coaches were being asked to go back and unload the passengers.
The speakers warned if the checkpoint was not removed, they would be compelled to announce a prolonged protest and close Torkham and Landikotal bazaars in protest.The protesters dispersed peacefully when local administration officials intervened and assured to resolve the matter.
Later, the protesters went to the Tokham administration offices and filed their application against the checkpoint. They asked the civil authorities to intervene and resolve the issue.When contacted, Khyber Agency Political Agent Khalid Mehmood said that he would take up the issue with the security forces officials. http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/108529-Establishment-of-check-post-near-Afghan-border-protested
Comments are closed.