Govt given 9-day deadline to remove Herat police chief

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): People from various walks of life on Monday set the government a nine-day deadline to remove the provincial police chief after insecurity situation deteriorated in western Herat province. The Provincial Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the unions of craftsmen, doctors and money changers held a joint protest meeting here.

Provincial Council Chairman Kamran Alizai asked the central government to fire the provincial police chief until Tuesday next week, criticizing the increase in kidnappings, assassinations and armed robberies in the province. He said unless fundamental measures were taken to improve the security situation, citizens would protest and would not allow the police chief to work.

He added assassinations and kidnappings had increased to the extent that they had lost statistics. “Currently, there five or six people are in captivity of kidnappers, but their relatives cannot raise the matter out of fear that they will be killed.” ObaidullahYari, deputy chairman of the West Zone Chamber of Crafts, said that shopkeepers were not safe and all shopkeepers would go on a general strike if no action was taken by Tuesday to improve security.

Meanwhile, BahauddinRahimi, head of the Money Changers Association, expressed concern about the increasing incidents of kidnappings and said that 15 moneychangers had been abducted in the province since the beginning of the year. He said currently two moneychangers were in the custody of kidnappers and a small number of them, perhaps three or four, had been released by security forces, but the rest were released after payment of ransom money.

Younis Qazizadah, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, expressed grave concern over the poor security situation in the province. He said this year most investors would withdraw their capital from the province due to increased kidnappings, armed robberies and assassinations. Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mossadeq, chief of the Doctors’ Union, also said the increase in kidnappings this year was unprecedented and that since the beginning of this year, 70 kidnappings and assassinations had taken place in Herat and dozens of cars, motorcycles and mobile phones stolen daily in Herat province.

HamidullahKhadem, head of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, also said that some big investors planned to shift their capital from Herat, something the government should stop. Police chief Sultan Daud Sultan acknowledged abductions in the province but he said insecurity had not only increased in Herat but throughout Afghanistan.

The police chief said the provincial council and some members of parliament raised their voices after their illegal demands were rejected by police. “The police are no longer personal servants of anyone and the president has ordered us to recall police guards with people”, he added. The police chief said that in recent weeks, police detained more than 15 kidnappers and dozens of armed robbers and rescued several abductees.