Man rounded up for extorting tourists

Police say accused was charging illegal fees on pretext of parking by putting up a barricade

HARIPUR:

Police claim to have rounded up a suspect, who was allegedly involved in extorting money from tourists travelling to Bhamala in their vehicles by erecting an illegal barricade on the link road of Khanpur Dam.

Police said an FIR was registered against the accused under the provisions of collecting illegal tax from the public following which the accused was locked up.

Police sources told The Express Tribune that taking notice of the public complaints regarding the collection of illegal charges of Rs50 per motorbike and Rs100 per motorcar, Khanpur DSP Muhammad Uzair arrested a citizen on the spot and removed the illegally placed barrier.

In this regard, when contacted Khanpur SHO Sadiq Shah said a police van was on routine patrol when the high-ups were informed about a suspect illegally collecting money from the visiting tourists upon which the patrolling police party was instructed to take action against those involved in the practice.

Following the instructions of their superiors, the patrolling personnel arrived on the spot where Nisar Ahmed son of Nazir Ahmed had installed a barrier on the road and was illegally collecting Rs100 per motorcar and Rs50 per motorcycle.

According to the police, the accused did not have any legal justification or written order to collect the charges. The suspect had a receipt book through which he was collecting money from tourists in the name of parking on which the police took action and demolished the illegal barrier.

The accused was arrested and transferred to the police station along with the barrier after which a case was registered against him under sections 341, 171, 419 and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Khanpur SHO.

It may be noted that last month, Kiran Zaib, TOR woman officer of Khanpur, also removed the illegal barrier while taking notice of the public complaints regarding the tourists facing difficulties while travelling to Bhamala.

According to Zaib, the task of the district administration was to provide facilities to tourists coming from all over the country.

The last month's action was carried out against illegal encroachments. A notice was also issued to the accused to remove the roadblock as doing so was illegal as the citizen did not have any legal documents to back his action.

The illegal barrier was removed by the district admin, however, only a week later the suspect again started collecting illegal charges from the tourists by placing the barrier.

Locals said frequent clashes between the visiting tourists and the accused had become a daily routine due to the installation of the illegal barrier on the link road adjacent to Khanpur Dam.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2023.