PUL-I-ALAM (PAN): People of Logar warn that insecurity in the province gaining momentum by each passing day, sparking chaos and mayhem among the residents.
Haji Mohammad Sadiq, tribal elder and a resident of Pork village said that they lead a tough life amid deteriorated security and multiple challenges. He went on to say that gunmen roam without fear in the area and the insecurity led people to become mentally ill.
“Mine explosions, targeted killings, blowing up doors of houses, dropping letters on the residents’ door step by gunmen and guerrilla fighting are some challenges that the people are facing. We have a bad news daily,” Sadiq added.
Mohammad Rafi, a resident of Padkhwab locality in Pul-i-Alam said that earlier people used to celebrate the spring season but now they fear that the season would bring with more catastrophe in terms of death and destruction. He said that each day they hear gun shots and firing in the area, which badly affect the lives of the people. He said his village is situated at two kilometres distance from the Puli-i-Alam but the government is unable to ensure security in his area.
Najibullah, a resident of Baraki Barak District complains that they are in grip of constant fear and insecurity. He said that since 2008, the control of the government is limited only to the district, adding that the residents are unable to travel to the villages without proper security. Most of the families left their homes and migrated to Kabul, he added.
Dr. Muhammad Deen, tribal elder and resident of Charkh District told Pajhwok Afghan News that his district was more peaceful and secure, adding however, that gunmen have now planted remote controlled mines on all roads. He said that no one of his village can dare to go outside of their homes. He said that families wait for dawn if they have a patient in the night to take him/ her to hospital.
Kamal Khan, a resident of Azra District said that his district is besieged by Taliban since five months, which left the communication services blocked while the people are starving. He said that Taliban have blocked all the exit and entrance of the district allowing no one to enter or leave the district.
He said that the government does not pay any heed to their grievances, adding that they did not have a chance to see such kind of deteriorated situation in the past. He informed that the government is totally failed in reversing the tide of fear and insecurity.
“We conveyed our problems to the provincial council and provincial authorities time and again but no one can dare to take any step to ameliorate the situation,” he added.
As many as 30 people are interviewed from the provincial capital and six districts by the Pajhwok Afghan News, where the entire interviewees vehemently complain of deteriorated security. They say that currently security is worst as compared to last year.
Dr. Abdul Wali Wakil, provincial council head said that most parts of Logar are under dire threats in terms of insecurity. He informed that local and foreign militants roam in the province, adding that militants even rule in some parts of the province.
He said that he has raised the issue of insecurity in a number of meetings with security officials but unfortunately the government could not implement its security plan, however, it presents on papers only. He went on to say that militants have their courts elsewhere in the province, forcing people to refer their cases to the Taliban courts.
It merits mention that Logar Province has immense geo-strategic importance and the Taliban want their sway in the province in an apparent attempt to challenge Kabul form there.
Head of the Provincial Council while offering a viable solution to the problem said that killings, search operations and other action against militants would not help resolve the menace. He said that Taliban should be given share in the government and be made part of the process. He warns if the policy to integrate Taliban in the system fails then the current state of mayhem, killings and insecurity tend to haunt people.
Provincial Governor’s Spokesperson Din Mohammad Darwesh despite widespread complains of lawlessness and insecurity said that the security forces are strong enough to respond to the militants in effective way. He said that foreign countries while keeping in view their interests use to send local as well as foreign Taliban to Logar.
Darwesh admits that people are fed-up with Taliban that’s why they send their youth to local police.
Rayees Khan Sadiq, national security branch chief in the provincial police headquarters, said that his forces have an upper hand over the militants who are not in a position to fight face to face. He said the Taliban continue to plant mines and target the civilians. He informed that the security forces have now the capabilities to restrict the activities of the insurgents and reverse their progress.