Afghan Protesters Make New Demands

Hundreds of protesters have staged a fourth day of demonstrations in one of the most restive regions of Afghanistan – the Khost area of neighbouring Paktia and Nangarhar provinces near the border with Pakistan.

They have been demonstrating over a number of grievances against the government of President Hamid Karzai.

Among their demands are that governors in southern Afghanistan be appointed in consultation with Bacha Khan Zadran, a regional warlord.

Bacha Khan Zadran's fighters attacked the Paktia provincial capital, Gardez, in January in an unsuccessful attempt to install him as the province's governor.

The demonstrators are also demanding that more be done to apprehend those responsible for the assassination in July of the Vice-President Abdul Qadir, who was also the governor of Nangarhar province.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service