Tourists safety prime responsibility of police

Shafi Ullah

MINGORA: Additional Superintending of Police Arshad Khan said on Friday that providing safety and guidance to every tourist would be the prime responsibility of police in Swat valley.

He was briefing the local media persons in Swat district police office and said that an accused and a tent owner in Mahodand lake area were arrested by Kalam police by the email complaint of a tourist for allegedly trying to harass his wife and injuring him.

He further added that a tourist from Lahore contacted Commissioner Malakand division through an email complaining against a tent owner for allegedly attempting to harass his wife and injuring her injuring him. “It was stated in the email that he with his wife were staying in a rental tent at Mahodand lake area between June 18 and 19 that the tent owner attempted to enter their tent in the midnight and tried to harass them during which he was injured,” said the Additional SP Arshad Khan.

The email further added that after the scuffle the injured tourist was shifted to Kalam hospital where medical treatment was given to him. “In the hospital, he did not lodge any complaint or file a report to the police and went back to Lahore in the morning,” said ASP Swat, adding that after Swat police received the email forwarded by Commissioner Malakand Division, Kalam police registered an FIR and arrested about 45 police suspects and shared their photos with the complainant.

ASP Swat said that the complainant identified Habib-ur-Rehman alias Affan, a resident of Usho valley who was taken into custody by police and during the investigation, the accused confessed to his crime. The Additional SP said that tent owner Khanzada alias Khanji, a resident of Usho, has also been arrested on the report of the plaintiff.

“I am grateful to the elders of Kalam and Mahodand areas who cooperated with the police in this incident and gave all their full assurances to the district administration and police to prevent such incidents in future,” he said. He added that the district administration would work with the hotel association and the local community to take strict and effective security measures and ensure safety of life and property of all tourists.