Protests against closure of Afghan border continue

MIRANSHAH (NNI): All markets remained closed on second day on Sunday in Miranshah to protest against sealing of the Afghan border by the authorities while the shopkeepers held protest demonstrations against Frontier Corps and local administration.

Thousands of protesters were demanding halt to raids by the Frontier Corps militia on shops and confiscating of the foreign goods, being sold in the markets.

They blocked the main Bannu-Miranshah road for some time to press for their demands, complaining that the militia action has badly affected their business. They said the authorities should check the smuggling of the foreign goods at border but should not harass the shopkeepers.

The local authorities recently sealed off Pak-Afghan border in north Waziristan to check smuggling from Afghanistans western provinces.