Transporters protest harassment by Afghan security men

LANDIKOTAL: Several transporters and traders in Khyber Agency on Sunday staged a protest against ‘extortion’ being demanded by Afghan security personnel at various checkpoints in Afghanistan.

Khyber Transporters Union leaders led the protest in Takia area on main Pak-Afghan Highway in Landikotal where hundreds of transporters and locals had gathered.  The protesters, holding placards and banners, chanted slogans against the Afghan officials.

Speaking on the occasion, transporters union leaders including Shakir Afridi, Attaullah Afridi and Mustaqil Afridi criticised the Afghan officials for their misbehaviour with Pakistani truckers.  They said when Pakistani transporters enter Afghanistan via Torkham, Afghan police start looting them.

Shakir said Afghan officials illegally collected around Rs40,000 from each Pakistani vehicle at various checkposts. The protesters said they were tortured by the Afghan police when they refused to pay the money. They said Afghan authorities tore their national identity cards in Afghanistan several times.  Attaullah said several Pakistani truck drivers had been brutally tortured by Afghan police on return from Afghanistan recently. The transporters threatened that they would be compelled to take extreme measures on their own if the Afghan government did not take action against the harassment of Pakistanis till August 25.