PESHAWAR: Police harassing public transport passengers
Bureau Report
PESHAWAR, Aug 10: Police has been harassing public transport passengers throughout the province in the name of controlling crime and terrorism, it is learnt. “Police checking of public transport in the name controlling crime and terrorism is in violation of the law,” officials said, adding that only the custom department was authorised to check vehicles to curb smuggling.
They said that police had erected barricades on roads throughout the province and was harassing passengers. Many commuters were also being frisked in the scorching heat.
They said police were checking alleged smuggling activities near the Karkhano market despite directives by the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) that it was the custom department’s duty to check vehicles for smuggled goods.
“Police seldom stop private cars for checking. They frequently stop taxis and public transport,” officials said.
Even the transport plying on the city roads was stopped at several places between Karkhano market and the general bus stand, they said.
According to the Customs Act 1969, police should have no concern with smuggling and the seized contraband should be handed over to the customs department, they said.
Frequent checking of public transport was causing hardship to passengers, especially women and children, they said.
Officials claimed that a shortage of staff at the customs department had given a free hand to police.The issue had been taken up by the customs department with police but to no avail, they said.
The strength of the NWFP police was 35,000 against the customs department’s 900, who were required to perform duties in the entire province as well as Fata. They said that there had been no fresh recruitments since 1976.
The problem is aggravated by the fact that most staffers were old and were unable to perform field duties. Officials said the CBR had issued instructions to the provincial police force on July 15, 2004, not to check vehicles, but the practice was continuing unabated. The Collectorates of Custom, Peshawar, also issued directives on Dec 21, 2004, ordering that operations against smuggling be carried out in the presence of a superintendent or a deputy superintendent. But in the absence of a superintendent or his deputy, the customs squad was helpless in checking vehicles and police had taken over the task themselves. “Police is benefiting from these anomalies and are carrying out snap checking of vehicles and erecting barricades on roads,” they added.
The CBR has prepared a draft national anti-smuggling strategy to cope with the problems of its staff. According to the draft, fresh recruitments, provision of modern vehicles and communication equipment to the department would be made, they said.
Services of junior commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers from the army and personnel from the Frontier Constabulary would be made temporarily on deputation. “The department has also proposed the removal of unnecessary force at Attock and barricades to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic,” they added.
