Mass strikes and protests are a sign of what?

A series of protests and work strikes have recently been launched in various parts of the country demonstrating the absolute hate and disgust for the cruel behavior of Kabul regime officials, with currency exchange societies in the capital Kabul and other cities going on strike for the past few days.

Moreover, land transport unions and truck drivers around the country also launched a sweeping protest not witnessed in the recent history of our country. Truck drivers complain that Kabul administration police, arbaki militias and other forces demand money every step of the way, and check posts that are supposed to establish security on highways have been transformed into extortion points that not only take money from passenger vehicles, traders and drivers, but also physically beat, fire upon and dishonor them.

According to drivers, the current condition on strips of highways under the control of the Kabul administration is reminiscent of the dark period imposed on the Afghan people three decades earlier by warlords and unaccountable gunmen during the period of factional anarchy.

The walkouts by currency exchange and transport unions have also proven detrimental for national economy. Businessmen and traders have encountered difficulties in exchanging and transferring money while stoppage of delivery transport as resulted in prices of import goods skyrocketing.

The Arg officials continue to remain indifferent to these public protests, and the hardships and harassment faced by the masses because it has not yet affected them personally as most of their families reside abroad while their own food and salaries are supplied by their foreign masters.

However, these public protests, strikes and outcries are only a small sample of the larger civil anger and hatred the general public harbors towards the cruel and ruthless officials occupying Arg. Those brutal and corrupt officials that are not only looting national treasury but have also fixated their eyes on the money of traders, drivers and poor travelers by installing uniformed bandits on main highways.

The Islamic Emirate — which considers protection of life, property and honor of its people an obligation — is exerting efforts to emancipate the Afghans from the clutches of these marauders, and in this series, it eliminated many such check points operating on main highways over the course of the previous year. Just as the Islamic Emirate rescued the nation and eliminated lawlessness three decades earlier, it continues to remain committed to protecting the life and wealth of its believing people, and assures them that the rule of oppressors is finite, and that Allah (SwT) will soon take them to account for their oppression.