Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and its ally Jamaat-i-Islami continued their anti-Nato supply protest for the fourth consecutive day in various cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As the security has been beefed up in the protest areas, a PTI worker was arrested allegedly damaging Nato container, according to sources.
The PTI and JI workers set up protest since Saturday at five major highways in KP, including Ring Road in Peshawar's Hayatabad, Khairabad Bride in Noushera, Indus Highway Chowk in Bannu, Charsadda Interchange and Kohat's Indus Highway.
As the demonstration by the parties entered the fourth day, security was beefed up in the protest area. Barbed wires were laid around the camp, while a metal detector door was installed at the entrance. Despite continuous protest at the toll plaza, the traffic on the route has not been affected.
Sources said a PTI worker was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly damaging Nato containers during a protest against drone strikes in Peshawar. Many had been accused of damaging goods and manhandling truck drivers, while police earlier registered cases against 40 PTI workers, police officials said.
The Police further said that anyone involved in harming the cargoes going through the route would immediately be arrested.
On Wednesday, a large number of workers gathered in protest camp set-up along side Ring road near Motorway Toll Plaza, and Hayatabad in Pehawar, which was headed by Regional Secretary General Fazal Khan. Protest camps have also been established in Charsadda, Nowshera, Khairabad, and other districts of KP, to prevent Nato containers from entering the city. Since then the protesters have stopped trucks passing through the route for verification and returned those carrying goods for Nato forces in Afghanistan.
PTI Chief Imran Khan announced on Tuesday that his party government in KP would officially block the Nato supply line in the province from Wednesday. The PTI Chief would chair a crucial meeting of his party to materialise his decision, the sources said.
Meanwhile, truck drivers would not carry any Nato supplies as long as the PTI protest continued, said the All Pakistan Transporters Owners Association on Tuesday.
Association's President Haji Malk Khwaja Muhammad Khan said truck drivers had been informed if they carried any Nato shipment, they would be personally responsible for the damages as both vehicles and goods could both be affected in such situations.
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan was affected due to the closure of the Torkham border, claimed Khan.
According to trailer driver Hayat Khan, after the border's closure, their movement to Pakistan and its bordering neighbour became difficult as they were trapped at the border for days. Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a representative of the Customs clearing agents, said Pak-Afghan trade was affected by the protests. Around 80 percent of shipment to Afghanistan had been shifted to Port Bandar Abbas of Iran and further protests could reduce trade through the area, added Sarhadi.
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