LANDI KOTAL, (Khyber Agency), March 11: Traffic on the main Peshawar-Torkham highway remained suspended for four hours on Friday when Zakakhel tribesmen placed logs and rocks on the road in protest against what they called inefficiency of the local administration.

A Zakakhel transporter, Haji Mohammad, had a monetary dispute with Bakht Zamin of Dir district.

Upon the complaint of the transporter, the Landi Kotal administration had arrested Bakht Zamin in August last year. They released him in January on the assurance that he would return Haji Mohammad his money, but instead of honouring his pledge Bakht Zamin escaped.

Frustrated with the administration’s failure to trace Bakht Zamin, the transporter had the Peshawar-Torkham highway blocked.

Talking to reporters, he alleged that he had lodged several complaints with the Landi Kotal officials but no action was taken to secure his money.

Officials later managed to pacify Haji Mohammad, assuring him that Bakht Zamin would be arrested soon.

The administration, however, registered a case against Haji Mohammad for unlawfully blocking traffic on an international route.

AGENCY COUNCIL : Members of the Agency Council belonging to Bara tehsil have protested the changes made in various committees that were formed to monitor performance of government departments in Khyber Agency.

The council on Friday lodged a complaint with the NWFP governor, asking him to restrain the political administration from interfering in the affairs of the council.

The council had recently formed five committees to monitor performance of health, education, Wapda, communications and works and PTCL.

Farooq Khan, a spokesman for the council, told Dawn that an assistant director of Rural Development of Khyber Agency had changed composition of these committees without the council’s approval.