BAMIYAN CITY (SW): Thousands of demonstrators in central Bamiyan province took to the streets on Sunday to protest against growing insecurity and kidnapping at the Kabul-Bamiyan Highway.
The protestors said that it has been a month now that nearly 30 residents of Bamiyan have been taken hostages in Ghorband district in Parwan province but the government has not paid any attention towards ensuring the security at the highways.
Few months back, 31 passengers belonging to ethnic Hazara community were taken hostage at Kabul-Kandahar Highway by pro-Daesh militants. The protesters claimed a number of such incidents have taken place at different highways across the country ever since.
The protestors asked the government to fully ensure the security at the Kabul-Bamiyan Highway, which goes through Parwan and Maidan Wardak provinces.
They also urged upon the local government in Bamiyan to take effective measures in ensuring the security around the routes which are led to Bamiyan.
Samad Ali, a shopkeeper in Bamiyan City, said that his uncle and cousin, who were on their way from Kabul to Bamiyan, have been abducted in Siagerd district in Parwan province last Tuesday. He added that the kidnappers contacted their families and asked for $ 3,000 in return for their release.
According to the reports, armed men abducted four residents of Shaiber district in Bamiyan six months ago from Shaikh Ali and Ghorband districts in Parwan. They too asked $ 80,000 in return for their release.
Sajad Mohseni, a member of religious scholars’ council in Bamiyan, while criticizing the government for its lack of attention, singled out the Afghan National Police (ANP), the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and the local government in Bamiyan for their poor performance towards securing the highways.
ENDS
