Af-Pak trade suspended amid protest by transporters

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Trade between Afghanistan has been suspended for a more than week due to a protest against a controversial toll tax, transporters say.   

Protesting transporters and local tribesmen announced convening a jirga of all major tribes of Khyber on Saturday to take a decision on the tax.

Despite protests, the National Highway Authority (NHA) has been collecting the tax from trade vehicles on the Peshawar-Torkham Highway.

Shakir Afridi, a spokesman for the protesting transporters, said they had held lengthy discussions with NHA and local administration officials.

The authorities promised a stop to the collection of the toll tax after consultations with senior officials. “But the contractors are still collecting the tax from vehicles taking trade goods to Afghanistan,” he said.

Afridi accused NHA officials of failing to honour their pledges. The jirga would decide on the status of the NHA toll plaza, he said. “We will not agree to anything short of removing the toll plaza.”

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