Ex-LG reps back drive against arms display

PESHAWAR: Former members of the local governments have lent support to the drive against the display of arms and the trend of escort cars for show-off.

“The people of Peshawar had been calling for the drive since long. This has happened for the the first time that police have gone after those spreading terror in the society by carrying dozens of gunmen in many escort cars for show-off,” said a joint statement by former deputy district nazim of Peshawar Razaullah Chagharmati, ex-naib nazim Town -IV Arbab Kamal Ahmad, former nazims Arshad Khan, Ghazanfar Ali, Arbab Wisal, Hidayatullah Khan, Bakht Naseer and Allah Dad.

The former members of the LG system said the officers must go after the elements brandishing weapons in public for show-off or spreading terror. They said the land mafia and criminals should not be allowed to attend social gatherings with 6 to 10 guards armed with automatic weapons in urban and rural areas. “But the cops should respect those escorted by official guards or one or two private guards carrying licensed weapons for facing genuine threats. The incidents like that of Khazana where an elected member of the KP Assembly was humiliated in front of his family despite having official guards must be avoided,” said the LG members.

They said the police campaign must continue as people were happy with it and the blunder by a few cops should not affect the drive started for a good cause.

Meanwhile, the police said that 14 more people were arrested on Wednesday during the drive against display of arms.