Extortionists, target killers reign in Peshawar

Police have failed to check bomb attacks on houses, target killings

PESHAWAR: Bomb attacks related to extortion calls as well as target killing is on the rise in the provincial capital, speaking volume of the helplessness of police in busting the gangs behind these attacks.

A source said that a large number of traders, industrialists and other well-off individuals and families have been living in utmost fear and uncertainty after receiving calls for extortion.

Most of these calls are made from across the border in Afghanistan, making it difficult for the police and other security agencies to lay hand on the rings. However, police have miserably failed against the gangs that exist in the city and carry out bomb attacks on the house of those who refuse to pay extortion. The groups of target killers too are operating under the nose of police and other security agencies.

The worries of those receiving extortion calls were added following increase in grenade attacks on the house of those who had received calls but refused to pay the amount. Many have hired gunmen, installed closed circuit television cameras, stopped their kids from sending schools, going out for social gathering. Still they do not consider them safe as many of those who had made all these arrangements came under attack recently. They were either killed in public or their houses were attacked with bombs, resulting in casualties and damage.

A dairy farm on Pajaggi Road that was attacked few weeks back came under attack again on Monday despite the owners had taken adequate measures for security. Five people were wounded in the attack.

“We installed CCTV cameras, hired gunmen and restricted our movement. We are doing this for quite a long time but everyone is still worried and scared,” said a local trader who had received calls but refused to pay to the extortionists.

A well off Peshawarite said people have stopped making buildings and buying luxury cars so their lifestyle doesn’t attract extortionists and criminals. “If you have made a little wealth or a little profile, you need to be more careful due to threats from extortionists and target killers,” he added.

The worries increased following the killing of Haji Haleem Jan, a popular trader who was shot dead in his shop in the crowded Qissa Khwani bazaar. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police had to face embarrassment over the incident after the traders started demand for deployment of rangers, saying police have failed to go after the extortionists and provide security to the locals.

More houses, schools, hujras and deras were attacked in the recent weeks, showing an increase in the trend. Besides, the killing of high-profile individuals has also witnessed an increase over the last few weeks. The assassination of Col Tariq Ghafoor, a director of the an intelligence agency, Haji Haleem Jan, a female doctor and her father in law in Lahore and several other incidents reported recently have increase the sense of fear in Peshawar.

According to police officials, some of these cases have been worked out. However, even the working out of cases and busting of gangs has failed to bring an end to extortion related attacks and target killings.

A police official said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities have approached Islamabad to take up the issue of extortion calls from Afghanistan with the Afghan government that has created a serious law and order problem in the province, especially the provincial capital.

The source said that the KP authorities had sent a letter to the then Secretary Interior on January 14 and again to the incumbent secretary on February 23. The letters explained that the extortion calls from Afghanistan had been one of the major issues haunting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The source disclosed that along with the letters, the authorities sent a complete list of cellular numbers being used by the extortionists from across the border. The list included few local cellular phone numbers. The letters mentioned the major group involved in extortion is operating from across the border.