Growing incidents of murder and theft have worried the residents of Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, and have badly affected businesses.
The residents say their worries regarding insecurity in the city have increased and they remain in tension until family members reach home safely after going outdoors.
The Provincial Council (PC) chief also termed the security situation in Mazar-i-Sharif as ‘dangerous’ and asked security organs to take remedial measures.
In a fresh incident of violence, police have sieged the house of a former jihadi commander and head of the Mahaz party Akhtar Mohammad Ibrahim for the past three days.
All roads leading to Ibrahimkhel’s house have been closed and people could not be seen in this part of the city.
Mustafa Mohib, Mehar TV head, said he was travelling in a crowded area of the city along with his wife when some armed men physically attacked him.
Hamid, a taxi driver, said his family remained concerned about his safety when he is out all the day working.
He said money, cell phones, cash and other expensive items were snatched from people at gunpoint in broad daylight but no gangster could be arrested.
“I work as a taxi driver, in the past I used to ply the city roads until 11:00am but now I go home before evening. I fear robbers may snatch my taxi,” he said.
Mohammad Akram, a grocery store owner in Mazar-i-Sharif, said he earned only 100 Afghanis in the past three days due to the blockade of roads.
“This shop is my only source of income, when I don’t work for a day, it is hard to make ends meet,” he said.
Police spokesman Sher Jan Durrani said police would not allow anyone to put people’s lives in danger. He added police were active in all areas of the city to prevent any unpleasant incident.
“Crimes have not increased as much as the people are worried. We have arrested the perpetrators of almost every incident and produced them before the law.”
