Police arrests 12 for using fake IDP cards

Around 300 fake IDP registration cards were seized from the people.

BANNU:

Twelve people accused of being involved in counterfeit internally displaced person (IDP) registration cards were arrested in Bannu on Sunday.  These fake cards were being used to procure ration meant for IDPs.

According to City police official Amir Rukhsar, the seven people who had been arrested on Saturday for pretending to be IDPs from North Waziristan and taking items from a ration point in Ziyad Akram Khan Durrani Sports Complex near Bannu City had helped identify others also involved.

Rukhsar said during interrogation, the seven accused had revealed the names of multiple persons involved in the illegal practice. Thus, Saddar police directed the City police to arrest the indentified suspects.

On Sunday, City police conducted a crackdown in the surroundings of Ziyad Akram Khan Durrani Sports Complex and arrested seven more people standing in line for ration. Rukhsar said the arrested persons told the police they had gotten the IDP cards made in Bannu city.

Following this, police raided five shops in Bannu and arrested five more people. Around 300 fake IDP registration cards were seized from them.

According to Rukhsar, the accused admitted they had been selling the cards to locals for Rs1,000 each.

All arrested people were put behind bars and further investigation is under way, Rukhsar added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2014.