A number of residents of southern Ghazni province on Sunday expressed deep concern over the closure of Ghazni-Paktika highway against traffic by Taliban militants for the last one and a half years.
Almost 18 months back, dozens of people suffered causalities when Taliban militants stormed the Andar district of Ghazni and later shut the Ghazni-Paktika highway for traffic.
Lal Mohammad, a resident of old city of Andar district, told Pajhwok Afghan News that vehicles used dirty roads in villages as Taliban militants had closed the Ghazni-Paktika highway.
He said: “Taliban insurgents come out to the road and abduct people from vehicles.”
Rahimullah, a shopkeeper in Ghazni City, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok that the closure of Ghazni-Paktika highway had negatively impacted their businesses.
Abbas Khan, a driver on the Ghazni-Paktika highway, told Pajhwok that in the past they would reach their destination in two hours but now it took five hours due to the road’s bad condition.
“Taliban have closed tee highway and we are obliged to use subways and take higher fare from passengers,” he said.
A number of other residents held similar views and urged the authorities concerned to address the issue at the earliest possible.
Meanwhile, Ghazni governor Wahidullah Kalimzai also confirmed the issue, saying efforts were underway to resolve the problem.
He accused Taliban militants of manning check-posts on the highway and extorting people.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also confirmed the issue and said the routes had been closed against government officials and rejected the fighters took money from people.
