Pakistan: Extortion, target killings in Peshawar

The officials of the intelligence agencies said on Tuesday that mostly the Afghan nationals were behind the extortion and target-killings in the provincial metropolitan.

Briefing a meeting held in the Home Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, an official of the Special Branch said security situation was quite discouraging due to sporadic terrorist activities in various parts of the province, particularly in the provincial metropolis. He said die hard criminals had joined terrorist groups and carrying out terrorist activities to disturb the peaceful environment.

An official of the Intelligence Bureau said Frontier Region (FR) Peshawar, Bara and Qambarkhel were the potential threat to Peshawar.

He said the militants in 25 villages of the de-facto area of Shabqadar tehsil in Charsadda district were involved in target killings, extortion and kidnappings for ransom.

He said that mostly Afghan nationals who had hired houses in the urban area of Peshawar were involved in extortion, kidnappings for ransom and target killings.

A representative of Inter-Service Intelligence informed the participants that terrorist activities had been curtailed to a great extent in the last few weeks. He confirmed the involvement of Afghan nationals in extortions, kidnappings for ransom and target killings while using Afghan SIMs through roaming facility in the tribal areas.

The Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) of police of KP also attended the meeting and informed the participants about the involvement of criminal groups with terrorist groups for extortion, kidnapping and target killings.

The DIG (Operation) said that total 66 cases had been registered against extortion. He agreed with the ISI representative on the involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist activities in Peshawar.

After detailed discussion the following decisions were made in the meeting. The police would launch special campaigns to arrest the proclaimed offenders; the police would raid the hideouts of the militants in urban areas of Peshawar; cases should be lodged against those members of proscribed organizations who were delivering inflammatory speeches and involved chalking; efforts should be made to improve investigation and meaningful surveillance should be done against those placed under Schedule-IV of the anti-terrorism 1997.