Fear grips Afghan truck drivers amid rising cases of armed robberies on highways

Kabul [Afghanistan], November 17 : Truck drivers in the Afghan province of Paktia raised concerns about rising cases of armed robberies on highways and said that they have been deprived of money and valuables at gunpoint, Pajhwok News Agency reported on Wednesday.
Despite rise in crimes across Paktia province, the security officials refuted the claims made by drivers of theft and said that measures have been taken to ensure security on highways.
Mohammad Khan, a truck driver on the Gardez-Patan highway, lamented about the situation and said that he has been stopped by burglars several times on the highways.
"I and other drivers have been looted by robbers several times. They take money, mobile phones and other things, there is no one to stop them," Khan said while raising the issue of the deteriorating situation of truck drivers in the south-eastern province of Paktia, according to Pajhwok News Agency.
Another driver Rozi Uddin stated, "I was carrying food items in my vehicle four days ago when armed robbers stopped me at about 9 pm in the Badam Khanda area of Sayed Karam district. They robbed me of 5,000 afghanis, a bag of rice, a tin of cooking oil and other food items."
He stated that hundreds of trucks travel on the highway every day, but they run into troubles owing to armed robberies. Several other Paktia citizens expressed similar sentiments, urging security agencies to strengthen patrols and construct security checkpoints along routes, reported Pajhwok News Agency.
Incidents of robberies have increased in the country since the Taliban seized power in August last year.
Afghanistan is currently experiencing its highest rate of unemployment and poverty since the Taliban seized power and the crime rate has also increased ever since. In turn, this has led to a rise in killings, suicides, and interpersonal disputes, as per reports by Khaama Press.
The war-torn country is currently grappling with a serious humanitarian crisis according to international assessments with more than 23 million in need of assistance.
Moreover, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year. Although fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated, especially against women, children and minorities.
With the US troop's withdrawal from the country, large-scale violence has been unleashed creating political uncertainty in different parts of the country. At least 59 per cent of the population is now in need of humanitarian assistance - an increase of 6 million people compared with the beginning of 2021, UNAMA reported.