Up in arms: Transporters take to the streets in Khyber Agency

Threaten to block Pak-Afghan route on August 25

LANDIKOTAL: A transporters’ association from Khyber Agency organised a protest on Sunday against Afghan officials who thrashed drivers and snatched and tore their CNICs and passports. The Afghan officials also did not allow the drivers to enter Pakistan.

The transporters, who were led by Shakir Afridi, told The Express Tribune some of the vehicles were parked across the border in Afghanistan over the last 15 days and were not being allowed to enter Pakistan.

“When the drivers protested, some of their CNICs were torn by Afghan officials,” he said. “The drivers were beaten up and some of their documents were torched.”

Afridi added this was not an isolated incident but was a regular occurrence on the Afghan side. The protesters urged the Pakistani authorities to intervene and take notice of the behaviour of the Afghan officials.

They said more than two dozen truckers were thrashed by Afghan officials. According to the protesters, some were so severely beaten that their bones were fractured.

The transporters threatened that if their grievances were not addressed then they would block Pak-Afghan route on August 25.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd,  2016.