MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Wolesi Jirga member Abbas Ibrahimzada says the security situation has lately deteriorated in northern Balkh province.
The lawmaker from Balkh urged the government leaders to pay attention to the security of people instead of election campaigns.
Addressing a press conference here, Ibrahimzada, who is also the in-charge of Hizb-i-Wahdat Islami party led by Karim Khalili, said security situation had deteriorated in the northern zone due to lack of attention by government leaders.
He said Taliban’s checkpoints were available on the Mazar-Dara-i-Sauf and Jawzjan-Mazar highways and they were extorting traders.
According to Ibrahimzada, about 300 to 400 commercial vehicles plyed these highways and Taliban collected 20,000 afghanis per vehicle on a daily basis.
The lawmaker said local police were forced to join Taliban or flee their areas in some districts of Balkh due to insecurity.
He added recent insecurity had a negative impact on businesses and some rich people had shifted abroad.
“The leaders of the unity government are busy in their election campaign but they are doing nothing to get people out of serious troubles,” he remarked.
The lawmaker called on security officials to stop symbolic meetings and take serious measures for security of people.
Ibrahimzada grumbled that security forces through media were assuring people their security in districts but in the fact they themselves were unable to go to districts due to security issues.
Residents in most districts would not be able to participate in the next month’s presidential election if the security situation did not improve, he said, adding the entire country would affect if security in the northern zone further deteriorated.
Fraiba Khaliqyar, a civil society activist, told Pajhwok the Taliban held sway in 14 districts of Balkh province and openly collected money from people in the name of ushr.
She said the people of Balkh were seriously concerned about the security situation. She criticized security officials that they only conducted operations in insecure areas but were unable to keep them.
However, police spokesman Adel Shah Adel said security forces inflicted huge casualties on Taliban during the past one week in Chamtal, Chahar Bolak and Shulgar districts. He said clearing operations were still underway in Shulgar and Chamtal districts.
Adel confirmed insecurity on the Mazar-Shiberghan highway but rejected Taliban’s checkpoints existed on the route. He admitted the rebels sometimes mounted attacks.
Lawmaker Ibrahimzad warned that Balkh province would collapse like Kunduz province if serious attention was not paid.
sa/ma
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