Road to Aqina blocked, Faryab protest enters 3rd day

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Protestors demanding release of Nizamuddin Qaisari, a close aide of Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, on Thursday blocked the Andkhoi-Mazar-Sharif highway that leads to Aqina border crossing with Turkmenistan.

Nizamuddin Qiasari, one of the first president Dostum’s top commanders in Faryab, was arrested by commando forces in Maimana and transferred to capital Kabul three days ago.

Similar protests were staged in Jawzjan, Sar-i-Pul, Baklh and Takhar province against the detention of Qaisari.

Wednesday’s demonstration in Faryab turned violent as the protestors torched the governor’s house and several other government buildings. One person was also killed and another wounded in gunfire during the rally.

The same day, a high-level government delegation from Kabul arrived in Faryab and met with local tribal elders. After the meeting, the protests were called off until security risks were eliminated.

The meeting also decided that those who violated the decision would be dealt with seriously and legally.

However, hundreds of people in Andkhoi, Qormoqol, Qurghan and Khanchar Bagh districts of Faryab took to the streets on Thursday and blocked the Andkhoi-Mazar highway.

Massoud Ahmad Massoud, deputy head of Junbish-i-Islami Afghanistan party, told Pajhwok Afghan News that thousands of people from the four districts of Faryab protested and demanded release of Nizamuddin Qaisari and return of Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum to Afghanistan.

He said the protestors erected tents on the highway and blocked the route with containers.

Atta Mohammad Faizi, Junbish-i-Islami Afghanistan in charge for Faryab, said he was not present in the government’s delegation meeting in Faryab on Wednesday, but they still did not stage protest in Maimana city, the provincial capital, today.

“We did not take to the streets not because of the delegation’s decision, but because of the government’s positive step facilitating phone contact between Qaisari and his family and friends,” he said.

He said residents of Maimana city would resume their protests if the government did not release Qaisari until Friday.

A number of people belonging to Junbish-i-Islami Afghanistan in Jawzjan and Takhar provinces also staged protests against the detention of Qaisari.

mds/ma

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