Porters protest against restrictions at Torkham border

LANDIKOTAL: The Torkham Mazdoor Union and porters on Tuesday staged a protest in Torkham border town against the imposition of restrictions.

A large number of labourers and daily wagers gathered at zero point near Torkham and asked the authorities to relax the border crossing for residents.

The Torkham Mazdoor Union president, Farman Khan Shinwari, led the protesters holding black flags and chanting slogans against the restrictions at the Torkham border crossing.

They demanded the government to withdraw the visa and passport conditions for labourers who frequently crossed the Torkham border.

Addressing the protesters, Farman Shinwari said that hundreds of labourers were earning livelihood for their poor families at the Torkham border.

He said almost 90 per cent of the daily wagers had lost their jobs due to strict rules imposed by the government.

Farman said the authorities deployed at the Torkham border must treat the poor daily wagers

gently. “The border authorities beat porters and children with sticks who transport goods from and to Afghanistan,” said Farman.

He said the porters hardly earned Rs800 to 1,000 a day, which was not enough to meet their daily expenses. Farman added the children of daily wagers also worked to help their parents with running the households. He asked the government to issue gate passes to labourers and those who daily crossed the border so that they could do their jobs and run small businesses.

The protesters later dispersed peacefully after the assurance that their problems would be discussed with high-ups.