ZARANJ (PAN): Resident of Nimroz province complained of growing insecurity but officials were of the opinion that lawlessness in the neighbouring Farah and Helmand provinces contributed to the surging insecurity of the province.
Officials in Nimroz said Taliban militants used to sneak into the province from Helmand and Farah caused destruction. Nimroz is one of the provinces situated in far-flung area of the country, sharing border with Iran and Pakistan too.
Most of the Nimroz districts were experiencing insecurity and large scale lawlessness.
Juma Gul, a resident of Khashrod district said rampant poverty and joblessness continued to widen gap between the state and its people, which was the main factor contributing to lawlessness.
Talking to Pajhwok Afghan News, he said local authorities did not pay any heed to promote the economy of the locals during the last decade.
“Because of the given situation, people have two options either to grow poppy or join ranks of Taliban,” he informed.
Muhammad Hashim, a resident of Khashrod district said security had been deteriorated following influx of militants from Farah and Helmand provinces.
He said: “American forces presence is the main factor of security in parts of the province.”
He said he heard that foreign forces were ready to leave the area, adding that insecurity would return to Khashrod district with the withdrawal of foreign forces.
A farmer wishing anonymity said poppy was cultivated on more than 350 acres of land last year, adding insecurity continued to haunt another important Dilaram district of the province.
Asmatullah, a resident of Khashrod district said with the exception of his district, rests of the districts were under the control of Taliban.
Some villages of Chakhansur district were under the influence of Taliban, he added.
Colonel Javed, police chief of Chahar Burjak distict said influx of militants from Helmand and Baramcha districts were creating instability in his area.
Mehmood, a resident of Chahar Burjak demanded the government should deploy local police in the district, which would help control Taliban remnants.
An official of the water and energy department wishing not to be named said engineers working on the vital Kamal Khan Dam had stopped working on the second phase of the dam for the last six months because of insecurity.
Naqibullah, a resident of Zaranj said the area sometime had witnessed security incidents, adding that militants used to enter the city on motorbikes and subjected government officials to targeted killings and then fled the area.
Brigadier Gen. Muhammad Kabir, provincial police chief told Pajhwok Afghan News local police had presence in almost all the districts, adding since he assumed responsibility as police chief, security had been bolstered.
King is the sole district of the province which had good security, he added.
Haji Ghulam Dastgir, a tribal elder said residents of the King district had no security problems and people could travel to the provincial capital without any fear.