MARDAN: Police have arrested three alleged fraudsters involved in looting people while impersonating police and intelligence agencies officials.

They were identified as Qamar Raza of Sargodah, Javed Iqbal of Shorkot, and Ibrahim Shah, a resident of Takhtbai, Mardan.

Speaking at a press conference here on Friday, superintendent of police Ali Akbar Khan and SHO city police station Ihtiraz Khan said that they had received a number of complaints about members of a fake NGO receiving money from innocent people for resolving their matters, mostly pending in government departments.

The SP said that they collected information about the alleged fraudsters and their fake NGO identified as ‘National Commission for Interfaith Harmony and Human Rights of Pakistan’ from different sources as well as banners, pamphlets, etc displayed at different points in the district.

He said that these fraudsters would identify themselves as military intelligence officials, mediapersons, police and rights activists on different occasions.

Mr Ali disclosed that the suspects had printed office cards of these departments and would show them when asked.

He said that the fraudsters had received millions of rupees from several innocent people with the assurance to get their works done pending in different government departments.

The SP said that they took up the issue with officials of the Pakistan Army and different other departments concerned for verification of the said NGO and its runners.

He said that all the organisations distanced themselves from the fake NGO and its members and it was proved that they were fraudsters.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2014