PESHAWAR: The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) have got a criminal case registered against the personnel of the excise, taxation and narcotics control department for interfering in their affairs.

The development comes as the excise department accused the NHMP of blocking its bid to foil drug smuggling on GT Road in Suriyakhel area of Nowshera district on Friday evening.

The incident also led to a verbal clash between the NHMP and excise officials.

The two sides later approached the Akora Khattak police station seeking action against each other.

Excise dept accuses motorway police of blocking its bid to foil drug smuggling

The Akora Khattak police registered a case against three personnel of the excise and taxation department under sections 431, 186, 353, 506 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The NHMP and excise department also began a war of words and issued statements to the media blaming each other for the embarrassing incident.

The excise department also submitted an application to the police station for the registration of cases against the NHMP personnel.

In a statement, the excise, taxation and narcotics control department claimed that the excise police station, Mardan region, tried to intercept a vehicle smuggling heavy consignment of heroine to Punjab when the incident took place.

It said sub-inspector Fahimullah was ordered to stop that vehicle, while the excise personnel set up a checkpoint for the purpose on the Grand Trunk Road near Akora Khattak in Nowshera district.

The department said as the personnel stopped the vehicle, a NHMP team showed up and the official leading it signaled the driver of that vehicle to leave.

It said the NHMP personnel also removed the barricades put up by it.

The department said the NHMP’s move caused a bitter verbal clash between both sides and the NHMP personnel tried in vain to take an excise official away in their vehicle at gunpoint.

It said officers of the both department also had heated exchanges over the incident.

The department said the NHMP had got a case registered against Mohammad Riaz, Fahimullah and another excise official at the Akora Khattak police station.

It said it had also approached the Akora police for the registration of case against at least three personnel of the NHMP.

A spokesperson for the excise department claimed that the excise personnel tried to intercept a vehicle carrying around 30kg heroin to Punjab and the NHMP personnel intervened after the vehicle was stopped.

“This action of the NHMP lacks any justification,” he said.

On the other hand, NHMP official Nasrullah Khan told the Akora Khattak police that they complained to the excise personnel that they’re recklessly checking vehicles, which could have life-threatening consequences for travellers.

He said excise official Fahimullah stopped the NHMP fine collection vehicle and asked the staff members to produce registration documents.

The official said he informed his DSP, who rushed to the site and tried to remove the blockade to ease traffic blockade. In the meanwhile, more excise personnel turned up and forcibly took away the fine collection vehicle.

He claimed that when he tried to film the incident on his mobile phone, the excise personnel grabbed the phone and tried to take him away forcibly.

The provincial assembly had passed the KP Control of Narcotics Substances Act in Sept 2019 empowering the excise department to control drugs in the province.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2020