Tourists robbed near Babusar Top

Hazara Deputy Inspector General of Police refutes reports that security had been withdrawn from the highways

ABBOTTABAD: A group of tourists including some locals were robbed by bandits near the Babusar Top even as the Hazara Deputy Inspector General of Police refuted reports that security had been withdrawn from the highways.

Late last week, the Diamer deputy commissioner issued a notification which stated that travelling on the Chilas-Babusar Road had become dangerous since snowfall had made the roads slippery and dangerous while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had withdrawn security officials from the road, leaving it exposed for thieves and terrorists.

“Keeping the above facts in view Babuser road is closed for all types of traffic with effect from November 4, and until further orders,” stated the order signed by Diamer Deputy Commissioner Dildar Malik.



However, Hazara DIG Saeed Wazir said that they had not received any copy of the notification. Moreover, he rejected the impression that Hazara police had pulled back security on the Chilas-Babuser road as claimed in the notification.

“K-P police are still on the road and patrolling continues as per normal routine,” Wazir told journalists, adding that they will never pull back security from the road.

“I have given strict instructions to the district police officers of Kohistan and Mansehra to continue day and night patrolling on the G-B road.” Meanwhile, the Kaghan police station SHO confirmed that robbers had looted jewellery and other valuables from tourists near Babusar Top and injured one who resisted. However, he too affirmed that they were continuously patrolling the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhand road.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2017.