KOHAT: The police claimed on Monday to have arrested 14 proclaimed offenders during a crackdown in the areas along the border with the tribal region.

District Police Officer Mohammad Sohaib Ashraf told Dawn the crackdown was initiated in view of the fact that thousands of outlaws had come down from the mountains and settled in the Kohat city, villages, refugee camps and other hideouts after military operation was launched in the adjoining tribal territory.

Similarly, the tribal administration had also been directed to catch such people who had committed crimes and were now hiding there. In this regard the law enforcement agencies were being helped by the intelligence agencies, sources said. The arrested men were shifted to different police stations to be later shifted to the Kohat prison.

Meanwhile, the police conducted a house-to-house search and arrested three illegally staying Afghan nationals and four non-local residents on Monday. The police booked them under relevant laws and sent them to prison.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2016