PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): The Kabul-North highway that was blocked by protestors earlier in the day was later reopened for traffic, an official said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in support of the Reform and Unanimity team, led by Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, in Pul-i-Khumri, the capital of northern Baghlan province.
The demonstrators chanted slogans against former Independent Election Commission (IEC) secretary Ziaul Haq Amarkhel, closing the busy highway. The set on fire an effigy inscribed the slogan “democracy”.
One of the protestors, Paikan Haidari, said: “The rally is staged by people of their own volition. We want Amarkhel be put on trail.”
He told Pajhwok Afghan News genuine ballots should be separated from the fake ones and fraudulent individuals brought to justice.
The one and a half hour closure left dozens of vehicles and many passengers stranded on both sides of the busy route.
After issuing a resolution, the protestors reopened the highway. Ziaullah, travelling to Kabul along with his family, said: “The scorching sun really troubled my children. Can you call road blockade a protest?”
Another passenger, Jamshid, said: “I am very sick and the weather is too hot. What I would do if the highway remains shut,” he asked.
Elsewhere, hundreds of people including students staged a protest in support of Dr. Abdullah in his native Panjsher province.
The protestors marched from the Dashtak area of Anaba district to the provincial capital, chanting slogans against IEC. They said individuals involved in rigging should be put on trial.
One of them, Pervez Joya, said: “I will defend my vote. Amarkhel’s resignation is not enough. He must be prosecuted.”
Another protestor, Mohammad Noor, said: “We respect democracy and hope the electoral process will proceed legally. We will continue our protest if our demands remain unmet.”
mm/mud
