Extortion calls from Afghanistan KP Police want cellphones blocked

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police authorities have asked for at least blocking the cellular phones being frequently used for extortion calls to the locals from Afghanistan if no other action can be taken against extortionist groups across the border, a source said.

Telephone calls for extortion from unknown Afghan numbers have scared hundreds of locals and their families since the callers continuously threaten to target their loved ones if the money was not paid.

"We have sent a number of letters to the federal government to take up the issue of extortion calls from Afghanistan with the Afghan authorities. If no other action can be taken against the callers and their hideouts, at least blocking the phones being frequently used for extortion by the Afghan government can give relief to the victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (and Fata)," a police official told The News.

The official said that around 400 cellular phones with Afghan numbers have been used over the last many months for extortion calls to Peshawarites and people of other districts of the province. "A number of their local facilitators have been arrested and their network is almost smashed. However, the calls are still being made from Afghan numbers, which trigger scare and fear among the local families," an official said.

The calls from unknown Afghan numbers have scared a large number of families. Majority of those receiving calls have changed their numbers while others had to install CCTV cameras and arrange for the security of their family to avoid any untoward incident. Majority of those receiving threats have restricted their movement and have stopped going outdoor due to threats.

Whenever approached by the victims, police officials try to convince those receiving extortion calls that their local network had been smashed and they were not able to harm any of their targets.

However, a large number of people are still worried about security of their families. The scare increases when a house is attacked with explosives in any part of Peshawar or rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Many houses were attacked with low intensity bombs or grenades in the province even in recent weeks.

Many victims said the police normally can't provide any help to those receiving calls and advise the victims to arrange CCTV cameras and restrict movement.

A large number of well-off people have kept low-profile in the recent years to avoid extortion calls since most of the calls are made to those roaming in luxurious cars or those who own huge buildings, factories and businesses.

In the past, there were a number of families which had to leave abroad or move to safer cities of Lahore and Islamabad after receiving extortion calls.

Some of those receiving calls were not even well-off but they remain under threat with frequent calls from Afghanistan.

The KP Police had sent letters on many occasions to the federal government, explaining that extortion calls from Afghanistan had been one of the major issues haunting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The letters sent in the past stated that almost all the calls being received originated from Afghanistan where police have no access or jurisdiction to operate. There is a lot of discomfort and insecurity in the business community on account of cross-border extortion calls, stated the letters.