SWABI: A jirga held in Dagai area here on Sunday vowed to take action against the elements sending threatening letters to locals ‘demanding extortion’.

Local leaders of political parties and elders attended the forum.

It was held after at least 18 families received threatening letters from unidentified persons, warning them to pay extortion or face consequences.

This was not the first time the locals received such letters and suffered the consequences for not paying extortion as back in 2015 Haji Umra Khan, a landlord in the region, and another local, Awwal Sher Khan, were killed by unidentified persons after the deceased failed to pay them the extortion money.

The alleged extortionists in one of such letters issued to families recently admitted that they had killed a teacher, Ayaz, some days ago over his failure to pay extortion. The letter mentions names of heads of 17 families, warning them that if they failed to pay them extortion they would also be killed.

However, members of these families said they won’t be cowed down by the pressure tactics of so-called extortionists, and vowed to fight to protect their dignity and honour.

When contacted, DSP Razaar tehsil Qazi Azmat told Dawn that the police would trace the people, who sent the threatening letters to people.

ARRESTED: The police on Sunday arrested a motorcyclist and recovered over two kilogrammes of charas, 225 grams of ice drug, a pistol and cartridges from him.

DSP headquarters Jawad Khan said the contraband was hidden underneath the motorcycle’s seat. He said the peddler, Waqar Khan was arrested, and a case was registered against him in the Zaida police station.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2023