A convenient arrangement: Stripped of valuables, dozens of vehicles rust away at Jamrud PA’s office

Instead of being auctioned, impounded vehicles are left to be taken apart by officials for private profit.

JAMRUD:

Impounded vehicles, if auctioned, would have filled the government’s kitty with millions. Instead, they have been turned into scrap, albeit after allegedly filling the pockets of officials at the political administration’s (PA) compound in Jamrud, Khyber Agency.

Vehicles of various categories used in criminal acts are seized by officials and dumped at the political administration’s office, only to wither away after being stripped of everything valuable, instead of being sold in the open market for better money.



Most vehicles are confiscated during drug smuggling busts. A lack of willingness and proper procedure results in their transformation to skeletons.

Ghani Afridi, a resident of Jamrud, told The Express Tribune that when officials confiscate and store a vehicle, khasadar officials take it apart piece by piece and take the booty home. The vehicles’ spare parts are sold in the open market for private gain instead of being marketed officially for generating official revenue.

Afridi said officials get their share on a first come first served basis, with some taking home tyres and seats and others the more valuable engine parts and lights. All that is left behind is the worthless stripped body. He said a few days after being impounded, the battered vehicles could pass for World War Two artefacts.

Speaking anonymously, a khasadar official said they only take away parts of vehicles which are linked with cases that take forever to solve, adding they do not touch items which they know will be released soon. “If we know that a case will be resolved in weeks or months, we do not strip that vehicle.”

He said if the vehicles were being auctioned, as is the custom in other parts of the country, it would definitely bring a good amount of revenue to the national exchequer, adding the money could also be used for tribesmen’s welfare. “Due to lack of checks and balances over the political administration, many valuable vehicles turn into scrap.”



Another khasadar official said around 40 vehicles, including cars, trucks and buses have been rusting away at the premises of the political administration’s office for around 25 years, with some buried deep in mud and totally destroyed. The official did not recall a single incident of an auction during his two decades with the force.

Sajid Ali Khan, another Jamrud resident, said the political administration confiscated vehicles used in various types of crimes and then left them for khasadars to ravage, rather than taking care of them as temporary government property.

Khan said several criminals live behind bars for years with their vehicles turning into scrap outside.

He further said the administration does not even have a log book to keep a record of vehicles caught during various incidents.

When contacted, Khyber Agency Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah said he would conduct an investigation and take necessary action to solve the problem.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2014.