Custom agents,transporters stage protest against NCL in Torkham

By Ashrafuddin Pirzada

TORKHAM BORDER: Custom clearing agents, transporters and traders on Saturday staged a protest demonstration against the National Logistic Cell (NLC) for erecting barriers and gates at various Torkham border town that had increased miseries for commuters and local residents.

The protest was held under the auspices of Torkham custom agents association in which a large score of transporters,traders participated and residents living in Bacha Mina participated. They marched in the Torkham bazaar and were holding placards and black flags. They had also fastened black taps on their arms and heads and chanted full-throated slogans against NLC officials for creating hurdles for them.

 The protesters had also blocked the Torkham road for some time to put pressure and compel NCL officials to remove the barriers.

Former Torkham clearing agents’ association president, Zarqeeb Shinwari said that NLC was gradually depriving local tribesmen from their property and businesses. He said local tribesmen leased a piece of land to NCL but the officials slowly occupying on the rest of their forefathers’ property worth billions of rupees. He said NLC officials now started erecting barriers and installed gates on the roads that were being used by local residents and transporters. He said NLC blocked a main road that had been used by hundreds of people living in the border village of Bacha Mina.

The protesters threatened that if the high NLC command did not take notice of their demands and not remove the barriers and gate until October 9, they would give call of countrywide strike and will stop clearing of import and export goods at via Torkham border.

The Torkham road was reopened after the assurance of political tehslidar Torkham Shamsul Islam who went to the protesters and assured them for peaceful settlement of their issues. Shamsul Islam told them that he would convey their grievances to high-ups and would be resolved soon.