LOWER DIR/MALAKAND: Unidentified armed men wearing army uniform stopped a tourists’ coach and looted the inmates at gunpoint in Kharkanai area in the jurisdiction of Ouch police station in Lower Dir on Thursday morning.

The coach was carrying a total of 22 tourists from Islamabad who wanted to visit the scenic valley of Kumrat. After snatching cash, mobile phone sets and other valuables the tourists were allowed to leave.

The Ouch police have registered a case against unknown robbers and started investigations. Later, a group of the tourists met the district police officer, Liaqat Ali Malik, at his office and narrated the whole story about the incident. The DPO arranged a tour for the affected tourists from his own pocket and assured them that the culprits would soon be brought to book.

Meanwhile hours later, a similar incident took place on Thana Bypass Road in the limits of Malakand police station when armed robbers in plainclothes and wearing army caps stopped a coaster carrying 18 tourists to Kalam, Swat.

They collected CNICs, ATM cards, mobile phones and cash from the passengers at gunpoint.

One of the tourists, Kalamullah, told local journalists that the robbers asked them why they were spending money on tourism when there was so much inflation in the country. The tourists cancelled their trip to Kalam and returned to their homes.

The Malakand police have registered a case.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2021