Jalalabad roads reopen after a day of closure

JALALABAD (PAN):  Roads in Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, were reopened for traffic after 24 hours of closure, an official said on Sunday.

Abdul Zahir Qadir, a member of the Wolesi Jirga and a powerful figure in the east, led angry protestors to block a number of busy roads across the city, including the Torkham-Jalalabad highway.

The demonstrators accused Governor Gul Agha Sherzai of grabbing government lands in different areas and misappropriating funds meant for reconstruction projects.

However, Sherzai rejected the accusations as baseless and suggested the constitution of a high-powered team to investigate corruption charges against him.

Hundreds of passengers including women and children were stranded in different areas of Jalalabad due to the protest that created several problems for ordinary people.

However, police reopened all the roads and residents could easily commute across the provincial capital, the deputy police chief, Col. Masoom Khan Hashimi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

However, a representative of the protesters and a member of the provincial council, Zabihullah Zamaray, said they reopened the roads to let a Kabul-bound convoy of security personnel pass Dusaraka area. They would resume their protest, he warned.

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