Row over NCP vehicle: Wana police shuts stations in protest

WANA: Tensions escalated between the police force and the Frontier Corps in Lower South Waziristan district over the authority to inspect non-customs paid (NCP) vehicles, prompting the police to shut down several stations in protest on Saturday.

“Our efforts to maintain law and order are being hindered by FC’s unwarranted actions, especially when dealing with miscreants,” stated a police official, emphasising the necessity of NCP vehicles for their operations.

Additional SHO Usman Wazir said that Lower South Waziristan Police possessed a significant number of NCP vehicles, which have been registered with the Excise Department. Despite this registration, these vehicles remain inaccessible to the police due to FC’s interventions, he added.

However, a senior officer from the Gomal Scouts Force, speaking anonymously, clarified that FC has been granted authority by the Federal Board of Revenue to inspect NCP vehicles. He said the permission for the use of NCP vehicles, granted from August 31, 2018 to June 31, 2023, has now expired following the merger of FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“No one is permitted to utilise NCP vehicles anymore,” asserted FC sources, emphasising that all individuals will be subject to legal proceedings as per Pakistan’s Constitution.

According to Gomal Scouts Force sources, the responsibility for handling non-customs paid vehicles and illegal goods has been officially delegated to FC by the government.

They said that if any policeman believed injustice was being done to them, they were advised to address their concerns with the customs office to seek resolution.

Prior to Ramazan, the Gomal Scouts Force confiscated 60 NCP vehicles during inspections in Toi Khulla tehsil. This led to protests initiated by the Wana Bargain Association. Following the intervention of the tribal jirga, negotiations between FC and the protestors resulted in a resolution.