LANDI KOTAL, Feb 26: Smuggled goods carriers took out a procession in Bara on Saturday to protest the closure of smuggling routes by the political administration.

The authorities had closed smuggling routs in the Qambarkhel area on Feb 9 after a row among three sub-tribes of Qambarkhel over the distribution of illegal toll tax. Before the closure of these routes, the Sheikhmalkhel sub-tribe was pocketing all the money collected at various checkpoints from vehicles bringing in smuggled goods from Afghanistan through unfrequented routes in the Tirah valley.

The protesters started their march from Karawal and converged at the Kohi Chowk where dozens of labourers working at some 150 godowns in Bara joined them. They chanted slogans against the administration and warned that they would besiege the Khyber House in Peshawar if the authorities failed to either provide them with alternative jobs or reopened the routes.

An elder of the Sheikhmalkhel sub-tribe, Haji Zareef, said his fellow tribesmen would not tolerate the administration's involvement in their 'business'.

The Bara administration had earlier devised a formula for distribution of toll tax among the Sheikhmalkhel, Dre Plara and Wandgaris sub-tribes with major share going to the Wandgaris. The Sheikhmalkhel sub-tribe rejected the formula and occupied the checkpoints. Haji Zareef said they were not taken into confidence when the toll money distribution formula was devised.