Hundreds of people kept the Karakorum Highway (KKH) blocked all day in Kohistan on Wednesday in protest against the cancellation of recruitments of police constables and transfer of the local district police officer (DPO).
Vehicles lined up in queues extending to over 5km, and hundreds of people, including foreigners, were left stranded on the busy highway, according to eyewitnesses.
Youths, clerics, traders and political activists blocked the highway between Bhasha and Chakai areas at 7:30am; the road remained blocked till the filing of this report.
The protesters barricaded the highway and said they will not open it until the recruitment process is resumed and DPO Abdul Majeed Afridi is transferred back to Kohistan from Peshawar. Despite attempts by the local police to negotiate with the protesters, they remained adamant on their demands.
Police officials told The Express Tribune that for induction of 150 constables in the district police force, a recruitment committee had conducted physical tests of over 700 candidates, of whom 400 had been short-listed and were asked to appear for written tests and interviews on Wednesday. When the candidates reached the designated place, they were told that the tests have been cancelled by the provincial government and DPO Kohistan, the official in-charge, had been transferred to Peshawar.
Infuriated by the news, the candidates took to the streets and shouted slogans against the provincial government. They were joined by hundreds of local transporters, traders, political activists and clerics, who staged a sit-in at the Dasu District Courts. Local traders closed their shops and transporters refused to ply vehicles to show solidarity with the protesters.
When contacted, DPO Afridi alleged that he was given a list of 60 men by a member of the provincial assembly, who belongs to the Awami National Party, to be appointed in the district police force in violation of merit. He said that when he refused to comply, he was transferred to Peshawar.
DCO Kohsitan Aqil Badshah confirmed the recruitments were stopped after the provincial government received reports of violation of merit in the appointments.
However, Hazara Division Commissioner Khalid Khan Umerzai held the outgoing DPO Kohistan responsible for the unrest.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2012.
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