City unrest: Court says gang rumours are a plot to delay elections
CJ accuses police, security agencies of involvement in robberies.
PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has termed the rumours about the presence of a 40-member gang looting households and harassing women in and around Peshawar, as a conspiracy to delay the general elections.
The rumours surfaced last week via text messages that a group of 40 armed men are robbing houses and sexually abusing women, which panicked residents. However, no one approached the police to report any such incident.
The PHC’s human rights cell received complaints regarding the group, which were forwarded to PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan.
CJ Khan and Justice Shahjahan, who were heading a division bench on Thursday, said that they have information about a few people supporting the group only to create panic among locals.
The chief justice said the gang includes foreigners and is operating in the Tehkal area.
CJ Khan told the additional advocate general, Naveed Akhtar, that a few among the group were police officials, while the rest belong to security agencies.
“We have taken this more seriously than the missing persons’ issue. We know who is behind this. The police department will be shaken if we name the officials involved,” CJ Khan said.
The CJ told Akhtar to convey his message to the authorities concerned and record statements of residents before a local magistrate under Section 164.
He added that the presence of such a group only adds to the misery of people and warned Aktar that the area’s superintendent, deputy superintendent and the SHO will be brought to task if any such case is reported.
People living in Peshawar and on its outskirts have started paying duties at nights to avoid an attack from the group. Others have taken security measures by patrolling the streets.
A woman was allegedly gang raped in Mullazai village two weeks ago, while a man was killed in Haji Banda. Residents allege that the group enters the settled districts every night.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 5th, 2012.
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has termed the rumours about the presence of a 40-member gang looting households and harassing women in and around Peshawar, as a conspiracy to delay the general elections.
The rumours surfaced last week via text messages that a group of 40 armed men are robbing houses and sexually abusing women, which panicked residents. However, no one approached the police to report any such incident.
The PHC’s human rights cell received complaints regarding the group, which were forwarded to PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan.
CJ Khan and Justice Shahjahan, who were heading a division bench on Thursday, said that they have information about a few people supporting the group only to create panic among locals.
The chief justice said the gang includes foreigners and is operating in the Tehkal area.
CJ Khan told the additional advocate general, Naveed Akhtar, that a few among the group were police officials, while the rest belong to security agencies.
“We have taken this more seriously than the missing persons’ issue. We know who is behind this. The police department will be shaken if we name the officials involved,” CJ Khan said.
The CJ told Akhtar to convey his message to the authorities concerned and record statements of residents before a local magistrate under Section 164.
He added that the presence of such a group only adds to the misery of people and warned Aktar that the area’s superintendent, deputy superintendent and the SHO will be brought to task if any such case is reported.
People living in Peshawar and on its outskirts have started paying duties at nights to avoid an attack from the group. Others have taken security measures by patrolling the streets.
A woman was allegedly gang raped in Mullazai village two weeks ago, while a man was killed in Haji Banda. Residents allege that the group enters the settled districts every night.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 5th, 2012.