September 22, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 21, 1429

DERA GHAZI KHAN, Sept 21: Foreign diesel is being smuggled from Balochistan into Punjab via Dera-Quetta road unchecked, allegedly with the connivance of the officials deputed at checkpoints set up by various law enforcement agencies, reliable sources said.

Dera–Quetta road is also notorious for being the route for smuggling of flour, wheat and iron scrap (which also sometimes include stolen high-tension electricity wires), besides contrabands.

After increase in POL prices, the sources said, smugglers had started illegal transportation of diesel in tankers to Punjab via Dera-Quetta road from Balochistan with the alleged connivance of officials deputed at the checkpoints set up by the Border Military Police (BMP), Punjab police and Punjab Highway Police.

The sources said at least four diesel tankers daily crossed into Punjab from Balochistan after getting ‘clearance’ from the BMP checkpoint at Bewata, each carrying about 30,000 litres of the fuel. The smugglers earned Rs15 to Rs20 profit per litre by selling the fuel in Punjab, they said.

Before entering the settled areas after crossing the BMP posts, all vehicles had to also cross the checkpoints set up by Punjab police and Punjab Highway Police but the officials deployed at these points also condone the movement of smuggled diesel, they said.

A BMP official posted at Bewata, requesting anonymity, alleged that they were helpless in this regard as smugglers had strong links with high-ups of law-enforcement agencies deputed on the route. BMP Resaldar Waqar Qaisrani, however, denied the charges and said he would look into the matter and if such activity was traced the culprits would be brought to the task.

BMP Commandant Tariq Bokhari was not available for his comments. —Correspondent