Attacks
PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: The Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Akhtar Hayat Khan disclosed that Afghan nationals were involved in 75% of the recent suicide attacks in the province.
Khan stated, “Fingerprints of the suicide bombers revealed that they were Afghan citizens.” He pointed out that the Afghan nationals were linked to suicide attacks in Ali Masjid, Bara, Hangu, Bajaur, and Police Lines.
The KP police chief mentioned that police have arrested Afghan nationals and locals involved in extortion cases.
In 2023, IG Khan said that KP police have registered 76 extortion cases. He said that the police have rounded up 49 accused so far.
He provided details of a significant breakthrough, citing the identification of an extortionist making threats to a “prominent businessman” in Peshawar.
Additionally, the police were able to apprehend those responsible for extortion calls targeting local contractors in southern districts.
The KP police chief said the police arrested extortionists in Chitral, Mohmand, and Bajaur.
IG Khan acknowledged that about a year ago, the police department did not maintain consistent records on this matter, but this has changed.
Regarding the arrest of two police officers with connections to a criminal group, the IG assured that they were being treated as criminals and that the case had been referred to the anti-terrorism department.
Furthermore, IG Khan shared that Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) offices have been established in the merged districts, with officers of superintendent rank appointed to these offices.
Meanwhile, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police have arrested 13 individuals who allegedly provided funds to terror outfits.
Moreover, these financiers reportedly funneled substantial sums of money, totaling millions of rupees, to banned terror organizations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Authorities detained these arrested individuals, described as financiers, in various operations conducted across Swabi, Mardan, and other districts in the province.
In addition, Imran Shahid, the Director-General of the Counter Terrorism Finance Unit, stressed that individuals clandestinely providing funds to banned outfits would face charges related to terror financing.
Also, he highlighted that these arrested financiers played a crucial role in supporting the resurgence of terrorism in the province and tribal areas.
Shahid disclosed that over the past year, authorities registered 173 cases of extortion, with Afghan nationals accounting for 90 percent of the suspects.
Notably, 60 percent of those involved have already been apprehended.
