PESHAWAR: Truckers and traders on Saturday threatened to stop food supplies between Peshawar and Afghanistan over extortion in the provincial capital.

The threat was issued during a meeting at the fruit and vegetable market in Chamkani area on the capital`s outskirts.

All Pakistan Goods Transporters Truck Owners Association President Khawaja Mohammad Khan chaired the meeting, where representatives of traders from Afghanistan, including Haji Gul Zaman, Haji Mian Baryal, Babar Bacha, Haji Saeed Ismail and Hakeem Khan, were also in attendance.

The participants said truckers and traders paid all due taxes in Karkhano Bazaar and Ring Road and at the entrance to the vegetable market but suddenly, the contractors` workers had begun extorting money from them.

They said they had requested the administration and police many times for crackdown on extortionists, but to no avail.

The participants said the situation had forced truckers and traders to agitate and threaten suspension of food supplies.They also complained about extortion in Karkhano market near Hayatabad and vegetable market of Chamkani in Peshawar, and in Khyber Agency.

Trader Khawaja Mohammad said Afghan merchants had taken up the matter with the provincial governor and chief minister but no corrective measures had been takensofar.

He said the contractor illegally charged a trucker Rs800 at the entry point of Chamkani vegetable market.

The trader said illegal tax was also been collected at Karkhano Market and in Khyber Agency.

`We have to pay the sought-after taxes on PakAfghan transit route inside Pakistan. The Pakistani government is generating huge revenue but unfortunately, it is unable to protect transporters and traders against exploitation,` he said.

Mr Khawaja Mohammad said extortion had forced Afghan traders to shift businesses to Balochistan and Waziristan Agency.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government should take note of the matter to ensure early corrective measures.

Another participant, Naeem Khan, said traders paid huge amounts of money as taxes but got no receipts from tax collectors.

He said those seeking receipts were disgraced publicly.

Later, the participants named Gul Zaman as their representative to take up the matter with the relevant authorities.