TAXILA: Talking to media here on Thursday, Superintendent of Police (SP) Attique Tahir refuted reports about the presence of Daish or Islamic State (IS) in the district.

The SP said the wall chalking and putting up of IS flags was just work of some miscreant trying to create panic before the beginning of Muharram.

He said that neither police nor intelligence agencies have found any evidence of the presence of IS or sympathetic elements in the area.

Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Taxila circle Saleem Khattak also spoke to media. He said police are keeping a strict check on banned groups. A drive is being launched to root out narcotics, gambling and prostitution dens from the area as well, he said.

The DSP added that black sheep of the police department are being rooted out and will result in a better law and order situation in the area. “The recent transfers of policemen is a part of the efforts,” he said.

Responding a question, he said that so far no orders for a crackdown against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf activists have been communicated to police. Earlier, the officers held an ‘open-court’ at Taxila Community Center where residents lashed out against police corruption and highhandedness.

Residents said that their requests to register complaints are not entertained and when robbers and other criminals are handed over to police, they are released after bribes are received. Citizens also talked about the prostitution, gambling and liquor dens that have been mushrooming in residential areas and alleged that these illegal businesses are flourishing because of police patronisation.

In response to the complaints, the SP said that corrupt officials in the police force bring a bad name to the department. He received a number of applications and directed staff to act on them.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014