Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party Demands End to Illegal Checkposts and Extortion on Quetta-Chaman Highway
**Quetta:** The Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP) has strongly condemned the harassment of citizens along the Quetta-Chaman international highway under the pretext of Frontier Corps (FC) checkposts and alleged extortion by criminal gangs, including drug mafias.
In a joint statement issued by the provincial press office, the District Executive of Killa Abdullah, and the Chaman Organizing Committee, PkNAP highlighted that the highway, a vital trade route and daily commute corridor for millions, has been left at the mercy of extortionists, criminal gangs, and illegal obstructions disguised as security checks.
The statement said that from Syed Hamid Cross to Killa Abdullah and Chaman, traders, shopkeepers, transporters, drivers, and private company staff are being openly extorted, while provincial authorities and security agencies remain silent. This has led to shortages of essential goods such as food and medicine, severely affecting local residents’ daily lives. Passenger vehicles are forcibly stopped, disrupting travel and paralyzing commercial activity.
PkNAP criticized the provincial government, the Home Department, and security agencies for their failure to address the issue. The party warned that the continued operation of illegal FC checkpoints while extortionists operate freely indicates either negligence or deliberate protection of these criminal elements, which is unacceptable.
The party demanded the immediate removal of all unnecessary FC checkpoints along the Quetta-Chaman highway, strict legal action against all involved in extortion and drug-related activities, and full protection of citizens’ lives and property. It also called for free and safe passage along the highway, free from all illegal obstructions.
PkNAP warned that if the provincial government and relevant authorities fail to resolve this critical issue promptly, the party reserves the right to organize a large-scale public protest, for which the provincial government and security agencies will bear full responsibility.
