May 30, 2006	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 2, 1427

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LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), May 29: Movement of food and other goods to Afghanistan came to a grinding halt after customs clearing agents at the Torkham border staged a strike here on Monday.

Hundreds of cargo trucks and oil tankers were stranded at Torkham after the Torkham Clearing Agents Association announced an indefinite strike for the acceptance of their demands.

President of the association Nasir Khan alleged that the PTCL land lines had been out of order for one and a half months and subscriers at Torkham had been without wireless loop service for one week.

He said that PTCL authorities had failed to repair a damaged line despite several complaints filed by his association and officials of the customs department and the political administration.

He said that most of the custom clearing agents had to subscribe to two mobile companies operating from Afghanistan.

Both the companies — Roshan and Afghan Beseem – are providing service to the Torkhum area since a long time and could even be subscribed from certain areas in Landi Kotal.

Customs officials said that on an average, 300 to 400 vehicles were cleared daily but no vehicle could be cleared after the clearing agents’ strike.

Nasir Khan also complained about prolonged power outages.

He said that the clearing agents would go on an indefinite strike if the problems relating to telephone and electricity were not rectified immediately.

ROAD BLOCKED: Hundreds of tribesmen on Monday blocked the Peshawar-Torkhum highway for more than two hours to protest against load-shedding in parts of the Khyber Agency.

Protestors blocked the road and chanted slogans against the management of Tribal Electricity Supply Company. The Nikkekhel tribesmen also took out a procession.