What’s in a name?: Tribesmen fleeced over ‘list’ of terror suspects

Locals paying large amounts to elders to be taken off it

PESHAWAR: Rumour has it if your name is on the ‘list’, you’re in trouble.

Previously, demands of extortion would have the locals of Frontier Region (FR) Peshawar tossing and turning in bed. One of the few ways to get the amount reduced was to visit men with large beards — in other words, local prayer leaders.

Nowadays, there is something else giving residents sleepless nights.

The ‘list’ is reportedly a compilation of names of Taliban supporters and sympathisers who are being tracked down by security forces. Some people have now found this as an opportunity to fleece people by claiming they can get their names struck off this list.

Propaganda regarding this list has caused widespread panic and people are willing to dish out large amounts to get their names crossed off. “There are some people who claim to have close ties with security forces and say they can include or remove any name on the list. They take between Rs20,000 and Rs30,000 to clear somebody’s name,” claimed a local elder while speaking to The Express Tribune.

He adds the lives of people in FR Peshawar are already miserable as they were being targeted by militants. “People are now really afraid,” he says. “Since there was no presence of a political administration or security forces in the area over the past two or three years, locals had to cooperate with militants in order to survive.” The elder says people provided food to militants to save their own skin.

“Those who supported militants by collecting extortion and carrying out target killings have already fled. Only those who are not Taliban sympathisers are left behind. Despite their neutral stance, they are in a real dilemma.

“If they are involved in crimes committed by the Taliban, it is unfortunate their names are being cleared for just Rs20,000. Taking any amount of money to clear a terrorist’s name is a crime itself,” the tribal elder says. “However, if somebody is innocent, he is clearly being extorted.”

In the past, militants collected millions of rupees in extortion from wealthy individuals of the area and local criminals also jumped on the bandwagon. The difference was that these criminals collected money from ordinary folks who could ill afford to part with their hard-earned cash. These local criminals are once again active in the area and have created widespread panic by talking of the infamous list.

Meanwhile, another elder says there is exemplary peace in the area as terrorists are on the run. Regardless, locals are afraid to eat with or even be seen talking to someone with possible militant ties despite the fact that conspicuous Taliban supporters have largely fled.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2015.