PESHAWAR: The Torkham check post at the Pak-Afghan border was closed on Friday after truck drivers complained of alleged torture of two of their Pakistani colleagues at the hands of Afghan officials and took out a protest, blocking the road, DawnNews reported.
Two truck drivers were heading into Afghanistan for work when they were intercepted by Afghan security personnel at a check post and were allegedly subjected to torture, a source told Dawn.com.
The Afghan personnel also reportedly tore up the passports of the drivers along with their other travel documents.
The 'tortured' Pakistanis returned to the Pak-Afghan border where they were joined by other truck drivers who held protests against the treatment meted out by the Afghan personnel. Drivers had complained that Afghan security personnel routinely harassed and tortured job-seekers at various check posts situated within Afghanistan.
A similar incident had occurred on Dec 22 and the border was closed after 29 Pakistani labourers had been tortured by Afghan personnel.
The Torkham border gate with Afghanistan was reopened the same day after an assurance from Afghan authorities that action would be taken against personnel involved in the mistreatment of the Pakistani labourers and that such incidents would be avoided in the future.
