LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), May 30: Customs clearing agents in Torkham on Wednesday stopped clearance of all kinds of goods meant for Afghanistan after a row with a local transporters’ union over the collection of ‘illegal taxes’.

The protest by the clearing agents has forced hundreds of truck drivers to brake to a halt as they were denied clearance to go across the border.

Speaking at a press conference, Torkham Clearing Agents president Nasir Khan alleged that the union had forcibly closed down the offices of their colleagues after they refused to pay illegal taxes to transporters.

He said that transporters wanted them to pay demurrage money to truck drivers whose clearance was delayed by Afghan customs officials at the Afghan side of Torkham. He said that under no law his association was liable to pay this amount to the drivers after their crossing over to Afghanistan.

He alleged the local political administration was forcing clearing agents to pay the demurrage amount to the drivers. He accused the khasadar force and staff of the local administration of assisting the transporters in closing down the offices of some clearing agents in Torkham.

Mr Khan insisted that no clearance would be made unless the administration gave them assurances that no ‘extortion money’ would be taken from them by the transporters’ union in future. He alleged that the union charged Rs200 on every truck at the Torkham border in the name of providing them security.