ABBOTTABAD: The local police on Sunday arrested three Afghan nationals for extortion and recovered the money they had taken from a local trader.

Ejaz Ahmed, in-charge of counterterrorism department of Abbottabad police, told reporters that Haji Sultan, a businessman, informed Mir Pur police that he had been receiving telephone calls from unknown miscreants demanding Rs10 million as extortion from him.

The official said the police in a raid on a restaurant on Mansehra road arrested three Afghans identified as Shafiullah, Ibrahim and Amanullah presently residing in Afghan refugee camp in Haripur.

He said Rs300,000 extortion money and three pistols were recovered from them. A case was registered against them.

Police later produced them in an anti-terrorist court and sought five days physical remand which was granted.

Police also conducted search operation in different parts of Abbottabad and Havelian and arrested 28 Afghans.

TAX AMNESTY: The Cantonment Board, Abbottabad, has launched an amnesty scheme for ten areas where no tax will be charged for next three to five years.

Besides developmental schemes will be launched on priority basis to bring the hitherto neglected areas into the category B, said Malik Umer Farooq, cantonment executive officer, while talking to media men here on Sunday.

He asked the residents of the cantonment to get their record in order, saying that minor violations would be pardoned in the best interest of the general public.

He said that the main beneficiaries would be the localities of Narian, Choona Kari, Aspidar, Mera Mir Pur, Kakul Takiya, Thanda Chooha and Iqbal Road.

Mr Farooq said that 60 tax facilitation centres would be established in the cantonment to facilitate the people. He said that land for graveyards was being purchased and would be earmarked for each area.

Published in Dawn March 9th , 2015

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