Pak-Afghan Highway: Tribesmen bulldoze 'unlawful' toll plaza in Khyber district

Tribesmen on Saturday demolished allegedly unlawful toll plaza, constructed at Pak-Afghan Highway, Katta Kushtha area of Jamrud, Khyber tribal district on Saturday. Thousands of anti-toll plaza and angry people, belonging from different tribes, including Afridi, Zakhakel, Shinwari, Koki Khel, and Bara different Afridi tribe in Khyber district thronged to the site and bulldozed the toll plaza set up by National Highway Authority (NHA) a few days back with support of heavy machinery.
Locals and transporters strongly protested against the construction of toll plaza and made the demand from the government and National Highway Authority to immediate remove it.
It is to be mentioned here that ten days earlier, dispute erupted between local transporters and the contractor of the toll plaza when the later started collecting Rs 250 per truck, passing through the toll plaza. In reaction, the transporters along with locals blocked the Pak-Afghan Highway for heavy traffic.
The protestors were on the view that at the time of merging, the Fata had been declared exempted of all kind of tax for five years and therefore setting up toll plaza at Pak-Afghan road was illegal. President Khyber Transport Union, Shakir Afridi asked the government to materialize its promise regarding declaring of the tribal districts as tax-free zone for next five years.
He informed that transporters were being charged Rs 250 per truck at newly established toll plaza, which according to him, was unlawful and unjust with tribal people. "We will not give up our demand until closure of the illegal toll plaza", he warned.
On the other hand, operation manager of the toll plaza Sarfraz said that they had got the contract of toll plaza for a year legally and with the consent of authorities concern, they were authorized to receive specific fee of Rs 250 from Afghan transit vehicles.