March 27, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 23, 1424

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KOHAT, March 26: At least 700 hardened criminals, out of the total 16,741 sheltering in seven tribal agencies (according to crime branch, NWFP) have once again become active and started kidnapping for ransom and smuggling of illegal arms, ammunition and fake currency back to down country in large quantities, a Dawn survey has revealed.

It may be mentioned here that in Darra Adam Khel, which is South Asia’s biggest illegal arms and explosives manufacturing industry, there are more than 900 big and small arms and ammunition manufacturing factories busy producing lethal weapons for smuggling day in and day out. The women are also employed in the sector who fill explosives in the bullets inside their homes. The majority of the workforce belongs to Punjab from where they also bring huge orders for arms supplies to jagirdars and sardars.

During the last fortnight the kidnappers did a very unusual thing: they abducted three people who were coming from Peshawar airport after pilgrimage to Mecca. In all, five people travelling in a car were stopped by armed tribesmen right on the Indus Highway which passes through the main Darra bazaar, and after selecting the Hajis, two were asked to leave. As usual the authorities, instead of punishing the criminals, immediately sent a message to the accused tribe and asked them to hand over the victims warning them of stern action which is never taken in such cases.

It is very common for those who are frequent visitors of Darra to see the proclaimed offenders roaming in the bazaar freely where the khasadar force, hand in glove with them, patrols the streets round the clock. They also know them by face but show extreme reluctance to lay their hands on them, and receive regular gratification from these felons who fear nothing but their own enemies.

On the other hand, the arms production, which has shown some decline during the ban on the issuance of licences imposed by the military, now into its third year, has again turned into a roaring business due to increased demand in the down country. Although the supplies are not so big in quantity, the prices and carrying charges have increased a lot due to strict checking at hundreds of checkpoints manned by different law enforcing agencies between Darra and Sindh. Most of the arms are ferried to Sindh, while Punjab comes second on the list.

According to fresh intelligence reports, the rangers patrolling the southern borders with India have been found involved in selling these cheap local-made arms to potential buyers there. Sometimes the rangers come themselves to Darra to place an order whereas usually they prefer the arms carriers who have strong links with the police and the “influential” bus drivers.

As a sequel to a large number of kidnappings during the last one year many people have shifted their business to other provinces as they were chased by the criminals as far as Peshawar which forced them to leave the province altogether.

Mr Bashir, managing director of a construction company and a wholesale garments dealer, shifted to Wah Cantt after some people started collecting bhatta from him. When he refused he was shot and injured as he was going to his home with his two-year-old son and wife. The bullet is still lodged in the neck of his son, Zaheen, as doctors have advised him not to remove it because it may cause complications in future.

Similarly Gulfaraz, a Hafiz-i-Quran, has decided to shift his business to Rawalpindi after he was abducted and tortured by a gang of proclaimed offenders hiding in the nearby Orakzai Agency. Talking to Dawn he said that he paid Rs1 million for his release through police which came into action when promised a reward.

He went after selling all his property in which he had made huge investment to make some profit.

Kohat as a whole is thus faced with an extreme situation of brain drain. Those who get education in Punjab and Sindh never return back. Instead, they ask their parents to join them there for a better and safe life.

On Saturday last, the police said, the incident in which a ninth-class student, Qasim, lost his life in a bomb explosion, occurred on the same route frequented by arms carriers. The carriers dropped one of the bombs incidentally which exploded in the hands of the victim.

It is very interesting to note here that the fake currency is printed in Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan and only brought to Darra for sale due to its popularity for illegal businesses. One can also find fake degrees, certificates, visas, driving and arms licenses and stolen vehicles brought from different parts of the country for potential buyers. Moreover, senior officials of the government also take antique arms and daggers as gifts while the illegal business flourishes unhindered.