Takhar-Badakhshan road reopens after protest

TALOQAN (PAN): A major highway in northern Takhar province was reopened 10 hours after it was closed by hundreds of people protesting against the appointment of a former mayor as the provincial police chief.

Before blocking the Takhar-Badakhshan highway, the protestors had gathered in front of the Governor’s Office in Taloqan on Saturday, accusing the ex- mayor of corruption and seizing private properties. They opposed his appointment as the provincial police chief.

Maulvi Farooq, one of the protestors, said on Sunday they had a meeting with the governor on Saturday, asking him not to appoint the former mayor as the police chief, but he did not listen to them.

“If our demand is not considered, we will keep the highway blocked,” another demonstrator, Faiz Mohammad, said.

However, Governor Faisal Bekzad said the mayor had been appointed as the provincial police chief by the Ministry of Interior with approval from the president. He said it was beyond his authority to terminate him.

The governor said he had sent a delegation to enter talks with representatives of the protesting people. He said if the talks did not produce any results, the issue would be referred to the central government. He said he would act as directed by the central government.

He suggested the protesting people to go to Kabul and share their concerns with the authorities there. He made an appeal to the protestors not to create problems for commuters.

myn/ma

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