MANSEHRA: The Lower Kohistan police on Tuesday decided not to allow private and transport vehicles to enter the district without thorough checking.

“We are going to enhance our deployment at all entry and exit points of our areas on the Karakoram Highway and other arteries. No one will be able to travel through our district without the detailed security inspection,” Lower Kohistan district police officer Mohammad Umar told the “crime review meeting” in his office in the Pattan area.

The meeting, which lasted over three hours, was attended, among others, by the superintendent of police (investigation), deputy superintendents of police, SHOs, and investigation officers from across the district.

The DPO said a comprehensive security strategy was adopted across the district after the Bisham suicide attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers on the Karakoram Highway, but still, the police needed to be more vigilant at work.

DPO promises foolproof security for Chinese nationals, tourists on KKH

He also ordered the SP and DSPs to “plug” the infrequent routes to the Karakoram Highway from Malakand division and other parts of Hazara division.

“We [police] will provide foolproof security to the Chinese nationals as well as tourists on the KKH in our district,” he said.

Mr Umar ordered DSPs to ensure the deployment of police personnel at checkposts across the district and warned that personnel found to be without bulletproof jackets and helmets would be dealt with strictly.

HELD: The police arrested two suspected drug dealers and seized narcotics in Oghi tehsil here on Tuesday.

The arrests of Tahir Hussain Shah and Abdul Wakeel came in separate raids, according to additional SHO of Oghi Ashraf Khan. He told reporters that over 3kg of charas, 300 grams of ice, and 130 grams of heroin were recovered from the suspects.

Mr Khan said drug peddlers were targeting youth, and therefore, the police had begun a crackdown on them on the orders of district police officer Shafeeullah Gandapur.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police Hazara Range Tahir Ayub Khan on Tuesday visited the family of martyred sub-inspector Amir Khan in Oghi and offered Fateha.

Accompanied by district police officer Shafeeullah Khan Gandapur, he praised Amir Khan for rendering his life in the line of duty last week.

The DPO said the police had sought compensation for the SI’s family under the Shuhada Package.

He said the police arrested two men and one of their facilitators for firing at the SI on the Hazara Motorway for ticketing them.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2024