PESHAWAR, July 22: The Sarhad Transport Workers Confederation has expressed concern over harassment of passengers by the police on the Peshawar-Islamabad Highway in the name of checking and urged the authorities to take action in this regard.

Speaking at an executive council's meeting of the confederation here on Thursday, Confederation's chief Zahir Shah Yousafzai said after the demolition of customs checkpoints by the government, the police have become a source of nuisance for transporters and passengers, says a press release.

The meeting was told that police took the plea that the action was necessary to curb smuggling. It was informed that police often stopped buses at any place of their choice and ordered passengers, including women and children to disembark. Some times checking was done in the middle of night and women and children had to spend long hours on roads amid pitched darkness.

The meeting appreciated removal of customs checkpoints, but expressed concern over the highhandedness of police against passengers and transporters.

It said that the government's move of abolition of custom checkpoints was yet to benefit the people as the same duty was now being performed by the police.

The meeting decided to launch a province-wide protest against the police if the government failed to take notice in this regard.