Samangan truckers on strike against police extortion

Monitoring Desk

AIBAK: Truck drivers who transport coal from the Shababak coalmine in northern Samangan province on Sunday went on strike, vowing to continue their protest until extortion on the road was stopped.

Ghazanfar, one of the protesting drivers, equated the prevailing situation on the road between Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, and Dara-i-Sauf Bala district as “the law of jungle,” a phrase he used to describe incidents of lawlessness.

He alleged security officials on the road asked for money from truck drivers at several places. In Taqchi check-point, security officials took 200 afghanis, in Dourahi check-post they charged 100 afghanis and in lower Kotal-i-Chechal check-point 100 afghanis and in upper Kotal-i-Chechal 50 afghanis, he said. He said every truck carrying coal had to pay up to 1,200 afghanis illegally at different check-points from Samangan to Mazar-i-Sharif.

Provincial Council member Mohammad Bazir Basij confirmed the extortion of truck drivers and added the issue was often shared with security officials, but it continued unabated.

Acting Police Chief Brig. Gen. Mohammad Nader Fahimi said police received a complaint from drivers about money extortion yesterday and a delegation had been assigned to investigate the complain.

He said if policemen were found guilty, they would be referred to the attorney office.