GHAZNI: Two persons kidnapped from Qarabagh district of southern Ghazni province would be released soon, a government delegation said here on Tuesday.
The two were kidnapped by gunmen who stormed their home in Shirabad area about 10 days ago, killed two persons, including a child, and injured two women.
The incident sparked angry protests in Qarabagh district and Ghazni City, the provincial capital. The protestors kept the Kabul-Kandahar highway closed against traffic for six days in a row and then allowed only passenger vehicles.
The protestors in thousands have erected a protest tent and have not been allowing cargo trucks. Delegations sent by the government to resolve the issue have been unable so far to convince the protestors to end the blockade.
On Tuesday too, a government delegation held talks with leaders of the protestors.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Niaz Mohammad Amiri, said the protestors should remove the protest tent as soon as possible in order to pave the ground for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“A good progress has been made in the case, the protestors should wind up their camp so we tell the president that the tent is removed and now justice should be done with the protestors.”
Amiri, without going into details, said the two kidnapped residents of Shirabad area would be released soon.
However, Naqibullah Khaksar, a leader of the protestors, said they would not call off their protest until all their demands were met.
He said the protestors wanted the killers to be arrested and punished. He said they wanted changes in the provincial administration and release of the hostages.
Police have detained four suspects in connection with the incident.
However, the governor’s spokesman, Mohammad Arif Noori, told that two of the detainees had been released and the remaining two currently being interrogated.
