Carrying cargo: ‘JI to block Afghan transit if authorities harass party workers’

Former minister claims NATO supplies are being carried out using Afghan transit containers.

PESHAWAR:

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) vowed to block Afghan transit trade vehicles in the province if authorities harass their workers.

In a press release issued by the party’s district amir Bahrullah, he claimed Nato supplies were being transported using Afghan transit trade and the party will continue to protest against the supply.

The FIR registered against former minister, JI’s Kashif Azam, and nine Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers for stopping a container on its way to Afghanistan will not break their resolve, read Bahrullah’s statement.



“The federal government is protecting US interests while PTI and JI are trying to protect the people’s interests,” he said. “The supply lines will remain blocked till the US assures us there will be no more drone strikes.”

The flipside

The police, however, said a roznamacha report or daily report was registered against JI’s Kashif Azam and nine PTI workers for stopping a civilian container en route to Afghanistan on Monday.

While talking to The Express Tribune, the police said a truck carrying civilian cargo was on its way to Afghanistan when it was stopped by PTI and JI workers on Ring Road.

“The driver, Kaptan, a resident of Landikotal, told us they were not carrying a Nato container,” said one police official. “The party workers let the truck go once the driver broke the seal and showed them the cargo.” The authorities added the driver registered the roznamacha as he feared the company, whose container he was carrying, would object to breaking the seal. The report was registered against Azam, Tahir Rasees and eight others as a legal formality.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2013.