Safety first: Restriction on movement of Afghan refugees discussed

Peshawar division commissioner stresses increased coordination.

PESHAWAR: There is need for increased coordination among the administration and law enforcement agencies in the district to plug incidents of extortion and kidnapping for ransom, said Peshawar Division Commissioner Munir Azam on Monday.

Speaking at a meeting held in Peshawar to review the security situation in the district, Azam said the movement of Afghan refugees present in various areas of the provincial capital needs to be restricted. He also proposed strict vigilance of their camps.



The meeting reviewed incidents of target killing of Ulemas of different sects, kidnapping for ransom and cases of extortion. It was decided that peace committees and surveillance systems would be activated at the mohalla level. Officials of law enforcement agencies were directed to closely coordinate with people and take immediate action on public complaints.

It was also decided that security officials would be deployed in residential areas, shopping centres and public places. Azam directed all security bodies to strengthen coordination with each other and to hold security meetings every month.

The meeting was also attended by CCPO Peshawar Ijaz Mohmand, DC Peshawar Syed Zaheerul Islam, DC Nowshera Zakaullah Khattak, DC Charsadda Tahir Zafar Abbasi, Mohmand Agency Political Agent Khushal Khan, and Khyber Agency Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2014.