North Waziristan admin accused of violating govt directives

Registration of non-customs paid vehicle

Political Agent terms allegations baseless

PESHAWAR: The political administration of North Waziristan Agency has been accused of violating directives of the government by receiving registration fee from the owners of the non-customs paid vehicles.

When contacted, North Waziristan’s Political Agent Kamran Ahmad Afridi denied the allegations about registration of non-customs paid vehicles after the directives of the FATA Secretariat and violation of any order. He recalled there were neither dwellers nor vehicles in North Waziristan during the Zarb-e-Azb operation.

The Fata Secretariat through a notification No FS/L&O/43/385-95 on January 23, 2015 had directed all political agents to register the non-customs paid vehicles at local level in Fata to prevent the vehicles’ use in terror activities.

The directives from the Fata Secretariat had clearly mentioned that no fee would be received from the people, but the political administration of North Waziristan issued another notification 5461-67/8 on September 21, 2015 to collect registration fee from the owners of the non-customs paid vehicles.

The political administration of North Waziristan fixed Rs1,000 fee for motorcycle/rickshaw, Rs5,000 for car, Rs8,000 for jeep and Rs10,000 for vans and pick-ups.The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had also issued directives to the officials concerned not to receive registration fee from the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

An Assistant Political Agent Fahad Ikram Qazi in his report, a copy of which is available with The News, disclosed that the political agent registered non-custom paid vehicles owned by the Afghans even though it was clear violation of the National Action Plan.

The report said it was astonishing to note that the political administration in North Waziristan also registered the vehicles owned by Afghan refugees.It alleged that the political agent deposited the money received from the owners of the non-customs paid vehicles in his own bank account and the staff on duty for registration of vehicles was awarded 10 percent commission.

The political administration reportedly registered more than 4,500 vehicles.The deputy secretary, Fata Secretariat, Law and Order, Peshawar, in a reminder, No; FS/L&O/43-NCP4622-26, on March 14, 2016, under the subject “Regulating of non-customs paid vehicles” had reminded the political agents of Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan agencies about the previous directives issued on December 10, 2015, followed by another reminder dated January 4, 2016 on the subject cited above.

“The registration process has been completed and no further extension for registration of vehicles is granted beyond the stipulated period. You were also requested that the following may be confirmed and furnish report within one week time, but in vain,” it added.

The reminder stated “that no registration of non-customs paid vehicles has been made beyond the deadline communicated vide para 2, of this office letter No FS/L&O/43/385-95 issued on January 23, 2015.It stated that no fee was charged for this purpose, as directed vide para (9) of the letter mentioned above.

The letter said: “The competent authority has shown dissatisfaction for non-compliance. I am directed to request you to furnish the requisite information within one week time for perusal of the competent authority; otherwise, disciplinary action would be initiated.”

Kamran Afridi , the political agent, gave an entirely different version of events. He said steps were taken in consultation with the civil higher-ups and the military to check the smuggling and misuse of non-customs paid vehicles in North Waziristan.

He said they also developed software in Islamabad for the enlistment of vehicles in the presence of army officials.He said about 4,000 vehicles were registered during one month and the authorities were insisting to continue the process.

In the beginning, he said the repatriation of IDPs was slow but “now the process has been accelerated.” “The number of repatriating families in one month was 200, but now more than 400 families are returning to their hometowns,” he pointed out.

He said the authorities in Fata Secretariat were in the know of the process but a few Political Muharrirs took away with them the entire record when he transferred them from their lucrative posts.

Terming them a mafia that was collecting money from the people on the registration of vehicles, he added: “I issued their arrest warrant when they took away the record and informed the CCP and Fata Secretariat but they obtained stay order from the court,” he said.

Regarding enlistment of Afghan vehicles, he said it wasn’t possible as the picture of each and every vehicle was taken at the roadside checkposts. Presently, he said, the border had been sealed and 50,000 army soldiers were performing duties there.

“It means the entire Zarb-e-Azb has failed if someone can enlist non-customs paid vehicles and cross the Pak-Afghan border,” he argued. “How can I deposit government funds in my personal bank account? I had also presented the official accounts in the assembly’s standing committee and SAFRON meeting,” he added.