Day 96: Undeterred by PHC’s ruling, tribesmen lead freight blockade
PTI leader claims they are not disturbing Afghan Transit Trade.
PTI supporters stop a truck to check the documents at an unofficial checkpoint in a bid to block the NATO supply trucks in Peshawar on December 4, 2013. PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR:
Not a single Afghanistan-bound truck of either Nato supplies or Afghan Trade Transit crossed the border on Wednesday as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led sit-in against the US drone campaign entered its 96th consecutive day.
Despite the Peshawar High Court’s acceptance of a trader’s petition against the inspection of Afghanistan-bound freight trucks by activists of PTI and its coalition partners, and its terming the practice illegal, protesters continued their sit-in undeterred at the Hayatabad Toll Plaza.
Dozens of tribesmen from the agencies and the Frontier Regions joined PTI leader Iqbal Afridi at the site to protest against US drone strikes in the country. According to Afridi, the protesters were aware of the petition and the party has scheduled a meeting to discuss the matter.
Stating that the petition was with regards to the Afghan Transit Trade and not the Nato supply line blockade, Afridi said: “We have nothing to do with the transit trade business and we are not disturbing it, but we will never allow Nato supplies to cross the border.”
He added they were waiting for a decision from the party’s central leadership and will follow whatever strategy it devises.
The sit-in’s organising committee member, Fayaz Khalil, said they will continue their protest because they had not received any instructions to the contrary as yet.
On Tuesday, the PHC declared the actions of the members and supporters of PTI and its coalition partners in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government with regards to the blockade and checking of freight trucks heading to Afghanistan as illegal, unconstitutional and unlawful.
PTI provincial president Azam Swati in response said the PTI honours state institutions but it reserved the right to challenge the PHC’s decision in the Supreme Court.
The sit-in has been in place at the Hayatabad Toll Plaza in Peshawar since November 23, 2013 and activists check every truck that intends to pass through. If the vehicle is carrying supplies for Nato troops stationed in Afghanistan, the trucks are reportedly not allowed to go through.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2014.
Not a single Afghanistan-bound truck of either Nato supplies or Afghan Trade Transit crossed the border on Wednesday as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led sit-in against the US drone campaign entered its 96th consecutive day.
Despite the Peshawar High Court’s acceptance of a trader’s petition against the inspection of Afghanistan-bound freight trucks by activists of PTI and its coalition partners, and its terming the practice illegal, protesters continued their sit-in undeterred at the Hayatabad Toll Plaza.
Dozens of tribesmen from the agencies and the Frontier Regions joined PTI leader Iqbal Afridi at the site to protest against US drone strikes in the country. According to Afridi, the protesters were aware of the petition and the party has scheduled a meeting to discuss the matter.
Stating that the petition was with regards to the Afghan Transit Trade and not the Nato supply line blockade, Afridi said: “We have nothing to do with the transit trade business and we are not disturbing it, but we will never allow Nato supplies to cross the border.”
He added they were waiting for a decision from the party’s central leadership and will follow whatever strategy it devises.
The sit-in’s organising committee member, Fayaz Khalil, said they will continue their protest because they had not received any instructions to the contrary as yet.
On Tuesday, the PHC declared the actions of the members and supporters of PTI and its coalition partners in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government with regards to the blockade and checking of freight trucks heading to Afghanistan as illegal, unconstitutional and unlawful.
PTI provincial president Azam Swati in response said the PTI honours state institutions but it reserved the right to challenge the PHC’s decision in the Supreme Court.
The sit-in has been in place at the Hayatabad Toll Plaza in Peshawar since November 23, 2013 and activists check every truck that intends to pass through. If the vehicle is carrying supplies for Nato troops stationed in Afghanistan, the trucks are reportedly not allowed to go through.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2014.