NCP vehicles creating security, traffic problems in Kunar

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Many residents say non-custom-paid (NCP) vehicles have increased insecurity and traffic problems in eastern Kunar province.

One of them, Mohammad Shoaib Gharwal, a resident of Marawara district, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the security situation could be improved and traffic accidents reduced if the government effectively banned NCP vehicles.

He said the import of legal vehicles would increase government’s revenue because the smuggled vehicles have been causing a huge financial loss to the national exchequer and adding to the rush on roads.

He said prices of NCP vehicle were three times lower than legal vehicles, therefore most of people could afford them.

Zeerak, a resident of Asadabad city, the capital of Kunar, said NCP vehicles in addition to creating traffic problems also posed a huge threat to the security situation.

Most mafia groups, militants, kidnappers and other criminals used unregistered vehicles for their activities, he said, asking the government to take decisive action against such vehicles.

A resident of Shigal district, Omara Khan, also said NPC vehicles caused insecurity in Afghanistan as militants were using them for anti-government activities.

In the past enough passenger vehicles would ply city roads, but now their number had exceeded the number of people, he said, asking the government to register illegal vehicles or ban them.

Kunar police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Habib Sayedkhil said NCP vehicles were being transported from Nangarhar province to Kunar.

He said security forces in their coordination meeting had decided to register these vehicles in order to decrease security incidents and increase government revenue. Sayedkhil said 985 such vehicles had so far registered with the traffic department.

mds/ma