KANDAHAR CITY (SW): Thousands of passengers including patients remain stranded as inter-city transporters plying on Kabul-Kandahar rout remain on strike against faulty and insecure highways.
A number of passengers stranded in Kandahar told Salam Watandar they have travelled from far away provinces and districts but lack of transportation have compelled them to wait for days here in the cold. The passengers, which included women, children and patients, said they are running out of cash to buy themselves food and other items of basic need while waiting for the transportation to resume. Long queues of passengers from Kandahar, Ghazni, Herat, Nimroz, Helmand and Zabul are seen at the bus terminal.
Wali Mohammad, one of the passengers, told Salam Watandar he recently arrived from Pakistan and wished to go to Nimroz but is stranded in Kandahar.
The transporters' union have asserted that they would not end the strike until the authorities assure them about security and reconstruction of the highways. Ahmadullah, a transporter told Salam Watandar police and bandits loot money from them, and the faulty roads cause accidents but the government is not taking any action. “Danger of accidents multiplies in winter, and the exploitations of the drivers on the highways have compelled us to go on strike”, he said.
Najibullah Ahmadi, director transport in Kandahar has acknowledged the issues. He said that the issue can only be resolved by the central government in Kabul.
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