Two-way street: Kohistanis threaten to ban G-B vehicles entry

Give G-B admin 15 days to lift ban on entry of NCP vehicles.

KOHISTAN:

Traders and transporters in Kohistan have warned the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) administration that if it does not allow their non-custom-paid (NCP) vehicles to enter into G-B within 15 days, they will ban entry of all vehicles from G-B into Kohistan.

The traders made the announcement after holding a meeting with Kohistan District Police Officer (DPO) Akbar Ali on Wednesday evening. The meeting was called by a delegation of traders and transporters led by the president of China Trade Union President and Anjuman-e-Tajran, Malik Mohabat, to discuss issues they are facing following the G-B administration’s ban on entry of NCP vehicles from Kohistan into Diamer.

While speaking to the media, Malik said that while the G-B administration has banned entry of NCP vehicles from Kohistan into Diamer for the past few months, a number of NCP vehicles of G-B continue to ply on roads in Kohistan, which is adversely affecting local transporters’ business.

“I not wish to create a discord in the centuries-old ties between the people of the two territories, but the unjustified attitude of Diamer Police has forced us to take this step,” said Mohabat. He further said that if the ban on Kohistani vehicles entering G-B was not lifted within the stipulated period, the traders would themselves block any vehicle from G-B to enter into Kohistan.

Meanwhile, an official of Kohistan Police confirmed that the G-B administration, in compliance of a court order, had banned all NCP vehicles registered after September 2011 to enter the region, while those registered earlier were being allowed after having communicated their specifications to the G-B police. The official also accused motor dealers in Kohistan of exporting NCP and illegal cars to G-B.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2012.