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| November 8, 2001 | Thursday | Shaba’an 21, 1422 |
Authorities summon car-lifters’ protectors
DARRA ADAMKHEL, Nov 7: Political administration here has issued notices to members of a ring of car-lifters and their tribal protectors following the murder of a Peshawar dentist and arrest of his murderer.
Officials said that notices had been served on 20 people, known to have links with car-lifters, to appear before the authorities. They included influential tribesmen besides those involved in preparing forged documents, agents and mechanics.
The authorities apparently swung into action following the arrest of a young man, Waqarul Mulk Khattak, by CIA police in connection with the murder of Dr Javed Iqbal in Peshawar last week. An American Pakistani, Dr Iqbal was a known dentist operating his clinic in Peshawar Cantonment.
Police said the accused had killed Dr Javed after snatching his vehicle, which was later recovered from Darra Adamkhel.
Officials said that the countrywide network, apart from the car-lifters, also included officials from the anti-car-lifting cell, influential tribesmen and officials in the excise department in Lahore and Karachi.
The official sources said that investigators had identified at least three bargain centres in Peshawar, which dealt in stolen cars.
The crime, sources said, had assumed a new dimension since those involved in it were now able to get original export copies of the cars from the United Arab Emirates and Japan. The documents are available for Rs70,000 in the market. The stolen cars are kept at safe houses in Darra Adamkehl for Rs5,000 to Rs10,000, depending on the length of the time while the chassis of the vehicles are changed for Rs5,000.
Often the owners track their vehicles down to Darra and Akakhel Afridi areas where they are returned to them upon payment of Rs100,000 upward.
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