Truck-strike in protest at police corruption leads to mass suspension

A STRIKE by truck drivers over police extortion on Afghanistan’s vital west-south highway has led to the suspension of 35 police officers, officials said.

Lorry drivers on the Kandahar-Herat Highway blockaded the road two days ago in protest at police corruption and kidnappings on the highway.

Last week, 12 drivers were kidnapped on the road. All but four have been released after they paid ransom money to the kidnappers, who the hauliers accuse of having links to the police.

The suspended policemen belonged to the checkpoints at Dil Arma and Ab Khurma, the head of the western police force, General Karamulddin Yawar, said.

Yawar said police were still investigating the drivers’ claims and promised that any corrupt officials would face trial in a court of law.

The four day truck strike will continue unless police can maintain security on the highway, one of the protestors said.

Drivers on the highway travelling north of Herat also complain that police are extracting money from them and accuse them of having a hand in creating insecurity on the road.

Last year, 70 police officers were arrested and 15 police checkpoints in the west were shut down after the region's drivers complained to the government.

The emergency police chief of Afghanistan, Humayon Aini, said: "We will soon make plans to restore peace on the highway with the co-operation of the Afghan National Army (ANA), and we will come down hard on police who disobey the law.

"We have urged from the ANA in Herat to co-operate with the police to secure the Herat-Kandahar highway."

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