Local police are criminals, allege Goshta folks

JALALABAD (PAN): People in Goshta district of eastern Nangarhar province allege that some members of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) are abusing their power and even involved in night-time robbery in the area.

Some robbers are recruited as local policemen and this is becoming a serious concern among residents at night, a resident of the district, Hajji Nazar, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

“The police search people at night and label them as Taliban,” he said, adding that other insurgents had been replaced by the local police who now behave like militants.

They misuse their position, victimise people involved in personnel disputes and use government vehicles for their private purposes, said Sultan, a resident of Zherband village.

If they continue their unlawful activities, residents would be forced to lodge a complaint to the provincial government against the police, he added.

Earlier the people in the district asked the ALP commander to appoint local police in their area.

The district chief, Esa Khan Zhwak, rejected their complaints as baseless, saying the people complained because they were not recruited into the police force.

“The claims are based on personnel disputes. The people of the entire Goshta district are happy with the police and had asked for more local police,” he added.

ALP commander of the district, Col. Abdul Latif Behsudwal, also denied such claims against ALP, saying they do not allow policemen to use government vehicles for their private activities.

“The accusation is a black spot on the holy name of the local police. If the people have any proof or document against the policemen, they should present them to us,” he added.

There are total 200 local policemen in Goshta, which borders Pakistan, and they are deployed in six checkpoints and as a reserve unit, he added.

Last week, some tribal elders of neighbouring Kama district also urged Nangarhar governor Gul Agha Sherzai not to appoint local policemen in their district because they disrupt the security instead of maintaining peace.

Myn/vp

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