487 women among 28,203 proclaimed offenders wanted by KP police

PESHAWAR: At least 487 females are among the 28,203 proclaimed offenders (POs) wanted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police in various cases, a source told The News.
Those wanted by the police in different cases include 1,072 Afghan nationals, 2,356 tribesmen and 376 from other provinces of the country, the source added. At least 26 of the POs are reported to have escaped abroad to avoid arrest.
The source disclosed that 9,246 criminals are at large in Peshawar alone and are wanted in cases of murder, kidnapping, extortion, car-lifting and snatching, dacoity, robbery and other incidents. The POs include 695 Afghan nationals, 1,443 belonging to Fata and 283 from other provinces.
Peshawar has the highest number of female POs as police are conducting raids to arrest 174 women wanted in various cases. Mardan stands second with 52 female POs, followed by 39 in Kohat, 35 in Swabi, 33 in Swat, 32 in Upper Dir and 18 in Charsadda. Among the female POs, 15 are wanted by the police in Battagram, 11 in Karak, nine each in Kohistan, Haripur and Kohat, and eight each in Buner, Bannu and Shangla districts.
Six women each are wanted by the police in Chitral and Nowshera, five in Lakki Marwat and three each in Lower Dir and Abbottabad districts. Two female POs each are wanted by the police in Hangu and Tank districts. There is no female wanted by the police in Torghar and Mansehra districts.
According to the police, these women include those charged in cases of murder, kidnapping, robberies and other heinous cases. In most of the cases, they are co-accused with male criminals.
Among the 1,072 Afghan nationals, 695 are wanted by Peshawar Police, 128 in Kohat, 107 in Hangu, 66 in Chitral and 43 in Nowshera in various cases. Apart from Afghans, there are no other foreigners wanted by the police in any case of terrorism or crime.
Some of the POs have managed their escape abroad to avoid arrest. They include 10 POs wanted by the Swabi Police, four in Mansehra and three each in Bannu, Buner and Haripur. One female PO is wanted by the Mardan Police.
After Peshawar, the highest number of POs totalling 1,970are wanted by Hangu Police and 1,943 POs by Kohat Police. In addition, 1,808 are wanted by the police in Upper Dir, 1,641 in Kohistan, 1,575 in Mardan, 1,564 in Charsadda and 1,389 POs in Swat district.