09 June 2004	Wednesday	20 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

PESHAWAR, June 8: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started collecting statements of police and customs officials who were allegedly paid by a smuggler to ensure the smooth flow of his smuggled goods from tribal areas to other parts of the country.

Alleged smuggler Zahir Khan alias Malangay gave National Accountability Bureau officials the names of law-enforcement agency personnel in his pay, and in the light of the accused's statements an investigation has begun against the officials, sources told Dawn here on Tuesday.

Malangay, who was arrested 15 days ago along with 12 other alleged accomplices after an encounter with the Crimes Investigation Department, told an investigation team that he paid handsome amounts of money to police and customs officials to ensure the smooth flow of his smuggled goods from tribal areas to other parts of the country.

According to the sources, the senior provincial police officer IG Riffat Pasha and an official from the regional NAB office recorded Malangay's statement. The sources said that an SP who was recently transferred and made an Officer on Special Duty was on the top in the list of those who were allegedly paid huge amounts during his service at the key post.

The accused also named another Superintendent of Police, a DSP and five SHOs who cooperated with them in routine smuggling. According to these sources, chief of Capital City Police Masud Parach also issued a circular after the arrest of Malangay, asking Chamkani Station House Officer Karamat Shah and Badhaber SHO Fazle Karim to report to police headquarters.

Two new Station House Officers were appointed in their places. Sources said that both the official did not take any action when the nine vehicle convey of smuggled goods was heading towards Punjab, and they did not try to cooperate with the Crimes Investigation Department team during their encounter with the smugglers.

The National Accountability Bureau officials had recently picked up Station House Officer Pishtakhara Abdur Rasheed and Mohrar Shah Jee for interrogating. They remained with the NAB for a single day and were released after recording their statements, the sources maintained.