Police prepare list of 25 gangs involved in land grabbing, extortion

PESHAWAR: The police in the capital city have prepared the list of around 25 gangs involved in land grabbing, extortion, selling drugs and usury in the first phase of action against mafias supported by influential individuals.

The second and detailed list of the mafias and individuals involved in these crimes would be prepared in the coming days as the officers concerned have been directed to identify all such gangs that are blackmailing innocent people to collect money or grab their properties.

Besides, the noose is being tightened around those involved in selling drugs, usury and other social evils that directly affect the common man.

“The personal files of these individuals and gangs are being prepared. Around 25 files are ready to be discussed in district intelligence coordination committee meeting for initiating action against them,” Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Karim Khan told The News.

He informed that all the concerned sub-divisional police officers and station house officers have been directed to prepare personal files of all such elements operating in their area so that action can be initiated against them.

The CCPO said that to provide relief to the public, the police have removed 10 out of 26 nakas (barriers) in various parts of the provincial capital in the last few days. “Seven nakas have been removed in the City division, two in Cantonment and one in Rural division to provide relief to the public,” said Karim Khan.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Naeem Khan had recently ordered a crackdown on the mafias to provide relief to the general public.

The IGP had made it clear that the progress of regional police officers (RPOs), CCPO or district police officers (DPOs) in the crackdown on ice (meth) dealers, usurers, extortionists, land grabbers and timber mafia would be treated as performance indicator in future.

A large number of gangs and individuals are reportedly involved in selling and smuggling of ice, heroin, hashish and other drugs in different parts of the province. Thousands of people, including the youth and students, are addicted to ice and other drugs as these are easily available.

Besides, there have been a number of complaints that land mafia is involved in occupying land of innocent people having no access to the government and police.

In many cases the criminals demand extortion money from owners of the land in urban, suburban and rural areas or occupy their land in connivance with the corrupt revenue officials.

Most of the land mafias comprise of influential people.

The police in the past had announced similar action against the land mafia and those groups branding automatic weapons in the provincial capital.

A source said that a list of around 162 individuals and groups was also prepared by the police a few years back with the objective to initiate action against them. However, the action could not be initiated for unknown reasons.

The officials, however, have vowed that the recent campaign will not be stopped due to any pressure or other reasons and will continue till the people are provided relief.

Apart from the land grabbers and drug dealers, the police have also ordered crackdown on individuals and groups involved in usury, timber smuggling and other social evils. The officers in the districts have been directed to submit their fortnightly report to the Central Police Office so that their progress could be checked.