Police vacate 8 posts on Pak-Afghan highway

Move increases sense of insecurity among traders

LANDI KOTAL:

Police has withdrawn all the policemen from its check posts along Pak-Afghan highway in Khyber tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), inviting widespread resentment from transporters and traders alike.

Talking to The Express Tribune the president of Transporters Union, Landi Kotal, Haji Shahkir Afridi blamed that there is an increasing sense of insecurity among the traders, the general public and especially transporters after the withdrawal of policemen from all the posts in Khyber district.

“This is an international highway. There are eight check posts along the highway that were well manned in the past but a few days ago District Police Officer (DPO) Wasim Riaz ordered vacating all the posts due to unknown reasons,” he said, adding that policemen had been removed from the Torkham Terminal too in a highly strange development.

“You can see that all the police posts are lying vacant. This has further increased the worries of traders, transporters and general public as the law and order situation across the province is not good,” he said.

The volume of mutual trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan had dropped dramatically in the past few months but still the route is used for trade and the police have been withdrawn after attacks at police intensified across the province.

Another trader demanded that the number of police posts should be increased to provide foolproof security to the vehicles and travelers and mobile patrols should also be introduced.

“The terminal handles billions of rupees trade and deals on a daily basis. Is it not strange that not a single policeman is deployed for the security of this terminal,” he maintained.

Traders and businessmen demanded of the Chief Minister and IGP to take notice of the situation and order deployment of additional contingents of police along the highway. They also urged establishment of separate police station for the cargo terminal at Torkham crossing.

“If any vehicle is attacked or cash is snatched then police will be responsible for it,” they added.

When approached police officials declined to comment on the ground that they were not authorized to talk to media.

On the other hand, a police station has been established in Bazzar, Zakhakhel for the first time in its history. The far-flung Bazaar is considered a part of Tirah valley and was hit hard in the wave of militancy.

“After the establishment of a police station Inspector Sena Jan Afridi has been posted as its first SHO,” said an official of police while talking to The Express Tribune. He added that the main purpose of establishing a police station in the far-flung area is to facilitate the local residents at their doorstep.

“Once the building is complete then 300 policemen would be posted there permanently,” added the official.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2021.