Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: All Torkham Customs Clearing Agents Association Tuesday strongly condemned the arrest of customs agents by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel and threatened to give a countrywide protest call if their colleagues were not released in 24 hours.
In a crowded press conference held at the district Khyber press club (regtd) in Landikotal Torkham Customs Association chairman Merajuddin Shinwari, President Mujeeb Shinwari, former president Hayatullah, Hazrat Umar, Qari Nazim Gul Shinwari and others denounced the detention which over dollar declaration issues. The customs clearing agents criticized the FC’s handling of the situation, stating that as a legally registered association with an elected customs agents cabinet, the FC should have contacted them through the proper channels.
“We are respected businessmen, not criminals. The FC’s act of detaining and allegedly mistreating our colleagues is unjust. If they are involved in any wrongdoing, they should have been handed over to the relevant authorities, such as Pakistan Customs Authority, and Federal Investigation Agency(FIA) instead of being held without trial,” said Mujeeb Shinwari. He said every citizen has a legal right to be presented before a court within 24 hours to decide whether the detained person is guilty.
Mirajuddin Shinwari said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) sets the import, export and declaration policies at the Torkham border, while customs authorities implement them. He said customs agents only facilitate the process.
Shinwari urged higher authorities to ensure business security at Torkham, emphasizing that trade and labour at the border were the primary sources of income for the local population. He lamented that many traders have relocated to other areas due to increasing difficulties.
The Custom Agents Association leaders said that multiple negotiations and jirgas with the FC have failed to secure the release of their detained colleagues. They warned that if the issue was not resolved within the next 24 hours they would form a national jirga and launch a series of protests, including blocking the Pak-Afghan highway, going on a pen-down strike and staging indefinite demonstrations countrywide.
