PESHAWAR, Oct 27: Over 3,000 people have blocked the Karakoram Highway linking Pakistan with China, demanding reversal of the government’s Afghan policy and expulsion of the US troops from the country.

The government officials here said that the KKH remained blocked for the third consecutive day on Saturday with armed men blocking the road at about nine points between Kohistan district of the NWFP and the Northern Areas

No vehicular traffic was being allowed to pass through the road, an official said, adding that these points were manned by 100 to 300 armed men.

“The situation is tense but peaceful”, a resident in Besham of district Kohistan told Dawn by telephone.

Witnesses said that the government had mobilized force to meet any law and order situation though negotiations were going on to persuade the agitators to lift the blockade and disperse. “The dialogue is on,” Secretary Home & Tribal Affairs Javed Iqbal told Dawn.

People blocked the KKH on the call of a Majlis-i-Ulema to protest against the government’s support to the US in its war against Afghanistan. They are demanding that the government should review its policy on Afghanistan and withdraw its support to the US.

Our Mansehra correspondent adds: Passengers travelling between Northern Areas and other parts of the country have been stranded on both sides of Karakoram Highway as the blockade of the road by the armed activists of religious parties entered third day on Saturday.

According to reports, thousands of activists of the JUI, Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi armed with heavy weapons have taken positions on hilltops from Batgram to Northern Areas, pledging to continue the blockade till the resignation of President Musharraf.

Thousands of armed men from Kala Dahaka in Mansehra district belonging to Basi Khel, Akazai, Hassanzai and Madakhel tribes have joined the protesters at Thankot, Besham, Dandai, Maira, Pattan and Dassu. Armed groups have started patrolling the bazaars of Besham and adjoining areas.

Meanwhile, the FC and paramilitary troops have been called in the area to control the law and order situation.