RAWALPINDI: Police have launched a crackdown against “terror gangs” involved in extortion, land grabbing and drug peddling in different parts of the city and arrested 17 suspects.

The crackdown was launched in the light of a Special Branch report which stated that eight ‘gangs’ of criminals having over 175 members had been terrorising citizens in various parts of the city. They were involved in crimes ranging from drug peddling, robbery, violent attacks, killings, shooting and forgery.

The gangs were named as Boxer Group, Tiger Student Federation, Wali Group, KSF Group, 313 Mila Tiger Group and 786 Haq Such Group etc.

The police with the help of Special Branch had gathered details about the gangs’ members.

City Police Officer (CPO) Mohammad Faisal Rana told Dawn that the police had launched the crackdown and taken 17 suspected members of the gangs into custody.

The suspects were involved in street crime, extortion, land grabbing and drug peddling.

Most of the suspects were arrested in the Potohar division the previous day, said the CPO.

SP Potohar Syed Ali added that the police arrested Raja Faizan alias Raja Faizi, the ringleader of Mafia Raaj gang, and his accomplice Chaudhry Umar.

The SP said Airport police arrested Imran Saeed, Ishtiaq, Bashir Khan, Shafiq Khalid Javed, Tariq Mehmood, Kamran Khan and Jameel Khokhar of another gang.

The gang was involved in street crime and land grabbing and had been publicising its crimes on the social media.

The Naseerabad police arrested Faizan alias Faizi, Waheed Khan, Mujeeb Khan, Abdullah Khan and Habibullah Khan alias Polishi.

The Cantonment police arrested Naveed Shah of 786 Sarkar gang, allegedly involved in opening fire in marriage ceremonies and displaying arms.

The Civil Lines police have arrested Naik Mohammad of 222 Gang involved in land grabbing, drug peddling and running gambling dens.

The SP Potohar division said a huge quantity of illicit arms had also been recovered from the arrested suspects.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2019