Illegal Money Collection on Pak-Afghan Highway: Drivers Demand Action

Khyber (Hijrat Ali Afridi) – Drivers of loaded vehicles plying the Pak-Afghan highway have expressed outrage over the rampant collection of illegal money by union personnel . The drivers alleged that they were forced to pay Rs. 1,000 per vehicle in the name of the union, despite having valid government receipts.

Talking to the media on Saturday, the drivers claimed that they were made to wait in long lines, causing damage to their vehicles and resulting in significant trade losses. They also pointed out that despite the presence of a designated parking area in Torkham, they are forced to park their vehicles in the open ground of Hamza Baba without access to basic facilities. they added

The drivers Sher Ali and Afzal feared that if the higher authorities failed to act, the amount of illegal money collected would increase. They appealed to the authorities to deploy highway traffic officials and police along the highway to take effective action against those involved in the illegal collection of money.

This issue has sparked widespread concern among the public, with many questioning the effectiveness of the district administration’s actions. Two days ago, the administration arrested union personnel, but they were released within two hours and resumed their illegal activity.

When contacted through WhatsApp, the DC Khyber and Tehsildar Taimur of the district administration failed to respond to queries about the action taken and the resumption of illegal money collection.

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The drivers’ Sher Ali, Afzal and others demand for an end to the illegal collection of money and the deployment of highway traffic officials and police to monitor the situation have sparked a debate about the need for effective governance and accountability in the region.