Afghan forces engage in brawl with FC personnel as latter stop sugar smugglers
ISLAMABAD: An altercation occurred between Afghan forces and FC personnel at the Torkham border when the latter attempted to prevent a sugar smuggling attempt.
According to security sources, a skirmish resulted in the injury of an FC official, who was subsequently taken to a hospital.
The dispute between Afghan forces and FC personnel arose due to the movement of local laborers. Specifically, FC personnel halted Afghan child laborers at the border crossing.
The sources claim that the Afghan laborers were attempting to smuggle sugar across the border. When the FC personnel intervened and prevented them from crossing, the Afghan forces became furious.
This led to both sides engaging in a brawl.
Following the incident, authorities temporarily closed the Torkham border crossing for all traffic.
However, they later reopened the border crossing, allowing the resumption of commercial activities.
Authorities permitted even pedestrians to use the border crossing.
In April of this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the artificial sugar shortage and subsequent price hike, prompting Customs Balochistan to launch a crackdown against sugar smugglers and hoarders.
As a result of the government’s action, the price of sugar in the open market suddenly surged from Rs 95 per kg to Rs 130 per kg.
Traders and customers claimed that the massive smuggling of sugar to Afghanistan was the cause of this situation.
Unverified videos showing trucks loaded with sugar and fertilizers in Balochistan’s Kharan district circulated on social media, which compelled the federal government to initiate a crackdown against sugar smugglers.
