KHYBER: Labourers and owners of stone crushing plants held a protest demonstration in Jamrud on Tuesday against collection of ‘toll tax’ from trucks carrying whole and crushed stone by different government departments.

The protesters blocked the main road leading to Torkham border for some time after staffers of the mining contractor scuffled with them and also resorted to fire.

The situation was, however, brought under control after the police intervened and arrested at least three persons for resorting to fire and initiating physical altercation.

Haji Nawab Shah, a representative of the protesters, alleged the excise department, the mines department and Jamrud tehsil municipal administration were collecting ‘illegal’ taxes from them as the federal government had exempted all the seven merged districts from all types of taxes for at least 10 years when the former tribal areas were merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.

He said the excise department and Jamrud TMA had agreed to suspend the tax collection till the issue was resolved through negotiations, but the local mines contractor continued to fleece the stone crushing plants, forcing the workers to protest.

The road was later cleared by the police while the labourers ended their agitation after an assurance that the matter would be resolved through negotiations and the FIRs registered against them would be withdrawn.

Also in the day, a demonstration was held at the Marble Chowk in Malagori sub-tehsil of Jamrud against the increasing highway robberies and thefts in houses and mosques and a surge in sale of ice drug among local youth. A large number of Malagori residents participated in the demonstration.

Speaking on the occasion, Haji Abdul Qadoos, councillor Zainullah, Dadeen Khan and Khursheed Khan alleged that the area had become insecure due to sudden rise in illegal activities.

They alleged that unidentified thieves had not even spared mosques as they had stolen solar panels and ceiling fans, water pumps from wells and livestock from houses.

Demanding stern action from the police against such unscrupulous elements, they also announced a social boycott of them if they were identified.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2022