DHAKA: Afghanistan's capital Kabul is in lockdown as members of an ethnic minority group stage protests over the proposed route of a power line.

Thousands of Hazara demonstrators took to the streets of Kabul to march towards the presidential palace, demanding a 500KV transmission line to be routed through Bamyan province, which has a large Hazara population, Al Jazeera reports on Monday (May 16).

The so-called TUTAP line was originally due to pass through Bamyan, but the government decided to reroute it through the Salang Pass north of Kabul, saying the shorter route would save money.

Demonstrators said that the chosen route for the transmission line is a discriminatory move against Hazaras.

‘We are protesting against the decision of the government as our provinces have never seen development,’ Ali Ameer, one of the protest organizers.

‘This is a peaceful demonstration. Our aim is to make sure that the government listens to our demand without violence, because this decision is unjust and not the original plan.’

BDST: 1822 HRS, May 16, 2016
SAS/RR