Protest after three held for running illegal parking lot

LANDIKOTAL: Transporters staged a protest demonstration and blocked the Pak-Afghan Highway in the Khyber district after police arrested union leaders on Tuesday on the charges of operating an illegal parking lot.

Hundreds of protesters gathered on the Peshawar-Torkham Highway at Takya area of Landikotal. They chanted slogans against Khyber Police. They blocked the road after their three leaders Shakir Afridi, Yusuf Afridi and Jahanzeb Afridi were arrested by the police. District police officer Muhammad Iqbal told media that a first information report had been lodged against the arrested persons. He said the trucks parking lot was illegal where the arrested persons were taking money from transporters.

Meanwhile, long queues of the loaded trucks and passenger vehicles were seen on the road waiting to proceed towards their destinations. The road was reopened after three hours when the police agreed to release the arrested persons by Wednesday. It may be mentioned here that transporters union in Bara had established a parking lot for Afghanistan-bound trucks which was, according to police, illegal and they had served notices on the transporters leaders to close down the point but they did not.