LANDI KOTAL: Security forces on Thursday arrested at least 20 protesters who had blocked the main road leading to Torkham border after they were stopped from manual checking of loaded vehicles.

Sources at the border said that the customs staff had hired some local residents for manual checking of loaded vehicles prior to their custom clearance.

These people were paid Rs100 for every vehicle which the transporters were objecting as the customs staff had made it mandatory for transporters to get their vehicles manually checked and pay the charges.

The transporters had objected to the practice as the National Logistic Cell had also installed a scanning machine for which the transporters were required to pay an additional Rs1,500 for every vehicle.

The enraged tribesmen blocked the road when they were stopped by the security personnel after the transporters lodged a complaint with them.

The security forces then rounded up at least 20 protesters and handed them over to the local administration in Landi Kotal.

The police have registered a case against them for creating hurdles to the official work.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2019