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Afghans take streets to protest change in main power line route

Xinhua, May 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Tens of thousands of Afghans took streets on Monday to protest against a change in the route of a major transmission line, demanding the government to stick into the initial plan in construction of the project.

The demonstration aimed at pressuring government to change the 500 kv line, linking the neighboring Turkmenistan to Kabul to pass through central Bamyan and the neighboring Warak provinces as initially planned.

However, the Afghan authorities said that the National Unity Government has not had any role in determining the direction of the transmission line but the decision was taken by the previous government in 2013.

The protest leaders have called on the demonstrators mainly from minority Hazaras to hold the protest peacefully and not encroach upon the public and private properties.

On Sunday, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani assigned a national commission to review the 500 kv transmission line which provides electricity to 10 of the country's 34 provinces.

The Afghan officials also stated that a change in the route of the line may delay the project for at least two years, and would prevent millions of people from having power in eastern and southern provinces.

The already six-month delayed project, backed by the Asian Development Bank, is to be completed by 2018. And under the current plan the line is scheduled to pass through northern Baghlan province and the mountainous Salang Pass in Parwan province to Kabul.

Protesters started marching from western and southern Kabul towards a main business district, a route specified by the Kabul police.

Earlier on Monday, the Afghan security forces blocked major roads and squares across Kabul to prevent protesters from reaching the central part of the city where the presidential palace, government agencies and diplomatic offices are located.

The so-called "Enlightening Movement" protesters also blamed the government for running the project in an indiscriminately and unfairly manner. They said that their demonstration also aimed at struggling for justice and eradication of discrimination. Enditem