KOHAT: The goods transporters have alleged that personnel of police, Customs and Khasadar Force demand huge bribe from them at various checkpoints.

The truckers, who take transit goods to Afghanistan via Kohat from Karachi and Quetta, alleged that they had to pay thousands of rupees as ‘extortion’ at various checkpoints of Customs and police.

They said that after entering Kohat, each of them was fleeced of about Rs15,000 by police and khasadars before reaching Parachinar. “The main points of extortion are City Pathak in Kohat, Hangu Road and Parachinar,” they alleged.

They complained that sometime demand for money was so high that they had to talk out the issue for hours as they no longer carried huge amount with them owing to increase in highway robberies. They said that they had to borrow money on the way as they had to refuel their vehicles several times on long routes.

Departments deny involvement in corruption

However, DIG Dr Ishtiaq Marwat claimed that corruption was curtailed to a greater extent. “Corruption has been curtailed enormously. The extortion at City Pathak has been completely eliminated. I can’t tolerate black sheep in the department,” he insisted.

But he acknowledged that Kohat was a big region and it was physically and humanly impossible to keep a tab on every policeman. “Constables do take meagre amount of money from transporters and for that police department with limited resources cannot keep an intelligence officer at every important checkpost or police station,” the DIG said.

The transporters alleged that drivers of luxury coaches and trucks during journey to Karachi and Quetta from Kohat paid up to Rs7,000 to police as bribe. “On return the passengers bring Iranian goods like garments, sweaters, gas lamps, tiles and pipes. They pay big sum of money to the drivers to pay to the Customs staff,” sources said.

They added that Customs staff at a checkpoint near Kohat tunnel allegedly extracted huge amount under duress from the transporters and smugglers by allowing them free passage. The drivers alleged that police on Peshawar Road also took what they called ‘sweat money’ from the truckers at Mattani and Sra Khawra checkpoints.

Many truckers complained that they were forced to stop at the checkpoint near Kohat tunnel where there was no checkpost but a Customs vehicle remained parked along Indus Highway all the time.

They said that an official of the Customs demanded Rs500 to Rs1,500 from them, depending on the load and size of their vehicle. Upon refusal or argument, they said, the official threatened them to unload the truck for checking.

The Customs staff also allegedly earns millions from non-custom paid vehicles brought from South Waziristan tribal region after free passage through Bannu district. They charged smugglers Rs150,000 per vehicle, sources alleged.

Naeem Bokhari, the public relation officer of Customs House, however, denied that Customs staff was involved in taking bribe.

He said that uniforms of some other department were identical to that of Customs and it could be a case of mistaken identity. He, however, promised to bring the matter into the notice of his superiors to take action.

Mr Bokhari said that at least 14,000 vehicles passed through Kohat tunnel daily and checking of each and every one was not possible humanly. He said that the department was installing heavy scanner near the tunnel to remove human error and complaints.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2015

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