KHOST CITY (PAN): Kochis living in the southeastern province of Khost have warned of boycotting the upcoming polls if the construction of a border police post close to a religious school in their area is not halted.
The check-post is being built in Chargoti area of Alisher border town to check Taliban infiltration from Pakistan, but Kochis are stoutly resisting the project. They say the checkpoint should not be set up near the madrassa.
Ramazan Kochi, an elder of the tribe, told Pajhwok Afghan News on Thursday they had valid reasons for opposing the post. One, its construction will lead to closure of the madrassa, because students haunted by security concerns may stop coming to the school.
A second reason, Ramazan said, was that the check-post under construction was close to their houses. In case of clashes and rocket attacks, the elder feared, their houses could be damaged.
After they lodged a complaint with President Hamid Karzai, Interior Minister Hanif Atmar was directed to find a solution to the problem. The minister sent a senior border police officer, Gen. Younus Noorzai, to the area, the elder recalled.
Gen. Noorzai promised the nomads their complaint would be addressed, but the construction was still ongoing, Ramazan grumbled. As a result, he maintained, elders of Kochi tribes across the province had decided not to take part in the elections if their demand was not met.
A gubernatorial spokesman, when approached for comments, said building the checkpoint was essential for security in Khost and neighbouring provinces. It was in Chargoti area that fighters crossed the Durand Line into Khost and staged attacks, he argued.
Kochai Nasiri, who confirmed the nomads had taken their case to the centre, rejected the concern the religious school would be harmed with the construction of the post. He suggested the madrassa might get electricity and other facilities once the post was built and manned.
The spokesman described the poll boycott threat as a sentimental decision that had no link to the checkpoint issue. Talks would continue with the Kochis, who have tens of thousands of votes in Khost, to resolve the problem amicably, the official concluded.
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