LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), Sept 25: Some people blocked the Peshawar-Torkhum road at Sur Qamar in Jamrud on Tuesday for several hours in protest against the arrest of their relatives by the political administration.

The protesters, wielding sticks and batons, included women and children.

The Jamrud political authorities had arrested Aslam Khan, Zar Wali, Ziarat Khan, Aslam Laiq and Aqal Jan on charges of kidnapping an Afghan businessman for ransom from Karkhano market in Peshawar a few days ago.

Officials said that the relatives of the Afghan trader had, in their first information report, charged five residents of Sur Qamar with kidnapping the trader.

But the protesting relatives of the arrested men claimed that they were not guilty and demanded their immediate release.

The protesters pelted the passing vehicles with stones, causing minor damage to some of them.

The road was later cleared after the intervention of local elders and officials of the political administration.