Karkhano to Torkham: Lining pockets to cross the line

Vehicles passing through the Pak-Afghan border pay bribes at check posts along the way.

LANDIKOTAL:

In exchange for a few hundred rupees, officials manning checkpoints along the Pak-Afghan border let vehicles destined for Afghanistan pass through sans security checks.

The Khyber Agency Political Administration has set up 10 permanent check posts at various points along the 32 kilometre road from Karkhano to Torkham to maintain security in the agency. Over 17 temporary checkpoints manned by Khyber Rifles and khasadar personnel also exist along the highway.

Shakir Afridi, owner of trucks used to supply goods to foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan, says around 2,800 to 3,000 heavy vehicles pass through the highway every day. At every check post, Khasadar officials demand bribes ranging between Rs50 and Rs2,000, he claims.

Afridi maintains drivers have to pay Rs100 on average at each post. The amount is then shared between muharars, political tehsildar, assistant political agent, political agent and the establishment, he alleges.

Wahid Shinwari, a businessman from Landikotal, has been trading with Afghan merchants for the last eight years. He says three to four of his vehicles pass through the checkpoints each day, and he gives his drivers Rs10,000 to pay as bribes. “The officials will even let you smuggle an atomic bomb across the border, as long as you pay them money,” he asserts.

Wahid says the political administration and khasadar officials are not bothered by deteriorating law and order, “They only care about making money.”

Additionally, around 8,000 passenger vehicles, including cars, vans and buses pass through the border. Each of them has to pay the political administration, customs and livestock officials along with khasadars, Wahid claims.

“A junior khasadar official alone makes Rs10,000 to Rs14,000 per day. One can only guess how much money the political administration makes.”

A khasadar official stationed at Prang Sam check post said each khasadar personnel is deployed to guard the checkpoints at least once a month. He claims every official collects between Rs8,000 to Rs14,000 daily. “The money sent to the administration is separate,” the official added.

Shakeel Barki, an officer of the Landikotal political administration, admits bribes are collected, but blames corrupt individuals rather than the administration.

Interestingly, Barki also justified the practice, saying the money drivers have to pay at check posts is actually tax, but they think it is bribe. “The tax collected is then used for various developmental schemes in the agency.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2013.