Shamsul-Amin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Under the auspices of Nojawanan-e-Khugakhel, hundreds of tribesmen, local laborers Thursday observed a protest against National Logistics Cell (NLC) officials and block Pak-Afghan highway in Landikotal.
The protesters were holding placards, black flags, and banners chanting slogans against NLC. They marched from Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal bazaar and gathered at the bypass road. To record their protest they blocked the road with stones and burning tires due to which all kind of traffics was suspended for an hour.
The leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Landikotal chapter, Abdur Raziq Shinwari, the president of All Torkham clearance Agents Association, Zarqeeb Shinwari, and chairman Mirajuddin Shinwari also took part in the protest. Israr Ahmad Shinwari led the protest.
Addressing the occasion, the speakers accused the NLC had grabbed their private property by force from the Khugakhel tribe. They said that NLC must follow the agreement signed with the Khugakhel tribe in 2015.
The speakers alleged that NLC crew members humiliated daily wagers and passengers at the Torkham border. They alleged that NLC officials were not legally authorized to bother passengers on the name of checking of travel documents. They said they were abusing their legal authority which would lead to unrest in the region.
They strongly condemned the incident of beating up a poor laborer with wooden sticks at the Torkham border NLC crewmen.
The protesters said that they were all loyal citizens of Pakistan and as other Pakistani citizens they should also be given the same rights and respect.
They regretted that all concerned authorities were not taking an interest to solve the issue apart from holding several protests regarding the issue. They would be compelled again if their demands were not accepted.
They demanded the Prime minister, the army chief, the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and all concerned authorities to pay attention to the matter and take legal action against Torkham NLC head, Colonel Iftikhar.
After the intervention of local administration officials Assistant commissioner of Landikotal, Mohammad Imran, tehsildars Landikotal, Asmatullah Wazir, and passport tehsildar of Torkham, Shakeel Barki the protesters were convinced to discuss the issue with concerned high-ups in the next 72 hours. They end their protest and dispersed peacefully.
