Worsening insecurity worries Herat residents

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A number of residents of western Herta province held a protest gathering on Thursday and expressed concerns over increasing insecurity, particularly terrorist attacks and armed robberies, in the province.

The participants of the gathering in Gulha Square of Herat city, the provincial capital, chanted slogans ‘We want security’ ‘Instability in Herat is behind capital flight.

They criticized security organs and the central government for failing to ensure their security. They claimed more than 10 security personnel and civilians were either killed or wounded in terrorist attacks and armed robberies in Herat city alone during the last one week while detective organs being unable find a clue to the perpetrators.

Dr. Nisar Ahmad Musdiq, head of Herat People’s Council and Herat Doctors Association, said the aim of the gathering was to raise their voice for security of Herat people.

He said 1,900 cases of beating, 40 cases of injury and dozens of robbery cases had been recorded during the last 17 days of this month alone in Heart city while the government was busy in election related issues.

“The government does not care for Herat, the number of police in Helmand province is twice compared to Herat, Kandahar also has also a high number of security personnel, we want the government to wake up,” he said.

Enayatullah, a resident of Herat, said that the security situation was worsening in the province and police were not able to even keep their own security.

“Local officials only take taxes by force from people and do not care about their security,” he said.

Safiullah, another resident, said insecurity was at its peak in the province and people could not send their children to school lonely.

A provincial council member, Najibullah Mohibi, said that there were many hands behind insecurity in Herat.

“There are many hands behind insecurity in Herat, a limited number of police personnel and lack of public cooperation are other factors that contributed to instability,” he said, without naming anyone.

Meanwhile, Jailani Farhad, governor’s spokesman, said a delegation of the ministries of interior and defense has recently visited Herat and needed measures would be taken after problems in the area identified.

Complaints about insecurity increased after seven police including a worker of Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) were killed and over 10 civilians injured in Heart since last Friday.

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