Tribesmen protest: Highway leading to Afghanistan blocked

Tribesmen block highway to protest against shooting by Afghan forces which injured six people.

QUETTA:

Local tribesmen blocked on Friday the highway leading to Afghanistan in Chaman, in protest against the shooting by Afghan forces which injured six people.

Locals alleged that Afghan forces had opened fire at six tribesmen and a local trader in Vash Mandi, a border trading post lying on both sides of the border, adjacent to the Chaman town.

Tribesmen staged a protest demonstration near the Afghan border and blocked the highway for a few hours, affecting the supply of goods to US coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Protesters demanded of the Afghan government to take action against soldiers involved in the shooting, saying that the incident was aimed at occupying their land and shops.

Later, local Frontier Corps Commandant Brigadier Abdul Rasheed held talks with local tribal elders. He assured them that the issue would be taken up with Nato officials in the next flag meeting.

Protesters dispersed after his assurances.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2011.