Transporters protest against customs’ high-handedness

Removal of Turbat deputy commissioner demanded

QUETTA:

The protest staged by Makran transporters against the alleged misconduct of Pakistan Customs and Turbat Levies force has entered its fourth day.

All Quetta Karachi Coaches Union Chairman Abdullah Kurd, President Mir Haji Hikmat Ali Lehri and Haji Ali Nawaz Lehri of Quetta Makran Union have demanded of the government to immediately remove Turbat deputy commissioner from office or else they will be forced to stage more protests including blocking all the national highways in Balochistan.

The decision was announced while addressing a press conference at Lehri House late Wednesday night after a meeting of all the transporters including Mir Khaleej Lehri, Haji Abdul Rasool Mengal, Haji Muhammad Ismail Mengal, Baba Mengal, Jalal Mengal, Mir Abdul Rehman Zehri, Haji Abdul Ghaffar, Haji Khudai Dad, Agha Anwar Shahwani and others.

They claimed that the district administration, Frontier Corps, Customs and Levies in different districts of the province are harassing the transporters unnecessarily.

“As soon as the new IG police took charge, the situation in all areas including national highways has improved and law and order has been restored.”

Expressing their gratitude to the IG Balochistan, the transporters said police check posts were removed on all national highways apart from action being taken against the existing black sheep.

They pleaded the government to abolish unnecessary Levies check posts and immediately transfer DC Turbat. “Transporters have even been protesting in the constituency of Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal but the provincial government refuses to pay any heed to their demands.”

All Quetta-Karachi Coaches Union Chairman Kurd alleged Levies and Customs officials posted at check posts had been torturing drivers regularly. “Passenger coaches moving on the same routes are parked at check posts for hours at various places, causing mental anguish to the transporters and drivers.”

He added that Pakistan Customs and other law enforcement agencies should take steps to curb smuggling in the border area instead of unloading passengers from coaches and harassing their drivers.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2021.