Highwaymen: Four alleged bandits nabbed in FR Darazinda

Involvement of local tribes cannot be ruled out, says political admin.

DI KHAN: The political administration of Frontier Region (FR) Darazinda arrested four dacoits on Saturday for allegedly looting passenger coaches along DI Khan-Zhob Road.

They have been shifted to DI Khan Central Jail. Cash and a huge cache of weapons were also seized from their possession.

According to an official of the political administration, the alleged bandits had been looting passenger coaches travelling on the road connecting DI Khan with Zhob, Balochistan.

“We set up check posts in the area and managed to arrest the four men,” he said. “They were travelling in a white car. We also recovered a Kalashnikov, pistol, mobiles phones and cash from their possession.”

The men have been identified as Hayat Khan, Shafiq Khan, Umar Khan and Ziauddin, a driver who hails from Mai Wali Dheri, Punjab.

The political administration decided to take action in this regard when a private transport company complained that one of its passenger coaches was looted en route from Quetta to Peshawar.

“This is not the first time we have received such complaints,” the political administration official said. “For a long time, we have been hearing about passenger coaches being stopped and looted on the same route. Transports unions have repeatedly protested against these incidents and pressed officials to take action against dacoits. Meetings have also been held, but no solution has been reached so far.”

A matter of perspective

The political administration has not ruled out the involvement of local tribes.

According to a political administration official, longstanding rifts between local tribes who are affiliated with the transport business may have a hand in the security lapse.

“The Shiranee tribe claims the road has been constructed on their property,” the official said. “As a result, they only allow passenger coaches run by members of their tribe to use the road. Armed men from the Shiranee tribe frequently block the road and stop passenger buses owned by members of other tribes.”

A series of steps have been taken to ensure safety along the route. Another official of the political administration told The Express Tribune levies personnel continuously patrol the road and security check posts have also been set up. However, there are a range of issues which need to be addressed.

“We still need to determine if this problem can be tackled by enforcing the Frontier Crimes Regulation or a levies operation is required to guarantee security,” the official added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2015.