Pajhwok Afghan News
03/01/2005
By Zubair Babakarkhail
[Printer Friendly Version]

KABUL - The roadside cart-vendors in the capital Kabul have welcomed an order by the city municipality that forbids the paying of bribes imposed by traffic police.

Many vendors who can’t afford to rent a shop space are forced to sell their produce on a roaming cart that they wheel around the crowded streets of Kabul.

Earlier some vendors claimed that the city traffic police were demanding bribes from them and four months ago the Kabul municipality made an announcement asking vendors to inform the municipality of any traffic police asking for bribes.

Zakayar, who stations his cart at the bus stop in Deh Afghanan selling cigarettes, speaking to Pajhwok Afghan News on Tuesday said the city police used to demand 20 Afghanis from him every day before this new order was passed.

"Nobody has asked any money from me recently, and now the streets are calmed of voices asking for bribes.”

Naqibullah another cart-owner who came to Kabul to earn a living from Wardak province said he started his business one month ago, and no one has asked him to give money, so far.

"I make 70 – 80 Afghanis a day by selling bars of soap in Pul-e-Bagh-e-Omuni, and what will I have left if I hand over 20 Afghanis of my eranings to someone," Naqibullah said.

But yet, some vendors say the problem is still not solved and the traffic police still ask for money.

Khan Mohammad, who was pushing his cart loaded with fresh fruits, said that: "These bullies take money when we park the cart." He pointed to the carts stationed around the municipality headquarters, and the police still take bribes in other areas.

Mohammad Naim Omaryar of the Kabul municipality admits that some police officers still take bribes from these poor people but reiterated the municipality order: "We have earlier asked the Kabul cart vendors not to give money to anybody."

Mohibullah Ameer of the traffic police department in Kabul also admitted the allegations, but added that he asked for an increase of salaries for the traffic police in order to prevent these attempts.

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