PESHAWAR – The Peshawar Police claimed to have struck a decisive blow against organized crime, dismantling 34 criminal syndicates and recovering assets worth approximately Rs800 million over the last five months.
In a media briefing detailed by Capital City Police Officer, Peshawar Mian Saeed Ahmad, the department revealed the scale of “aggressive policing” tactics used to reclaim public spaces from target killers and land grabbers.
The crackdown, which included 65 direct police encounters, led to the elimination of four high-profile gangs previously designated as “most wanted” by both the Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police.
“Our biggest achievement in this period is the elimination of these 34 gangs,” Mian Saeed stated, noting that the operations specifically targeted professional hitmen and “Qabza Mafia” (land-grabbing) groups that had long operated with impunity.
Chilling Revelations: The ‘Contract’ Killers
The CCPO provided a somber look into the local criminal economy, revealing that some gangs were operating as “murder-for-hire” entities.
- Pricing for Crimes: Hitmen were reportedly charging between Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000 for targeted killings, often disguised as “honor killings.”
- Low-Value Hits: In one instance, a gang was dismantled after it was discovered they had murdered an individual for as little as Rs50,000.
Economic Justice and Land Recovery
Beyond neutralizing violent threats, the operation focused heavily on financial restitution for victims.
- Land Restitution: 13,000 marlas of illegally occupied land were recovered and handed back to rightful owners.
- Financial Recovery: Between Rs780 million and Rs800 million in extorted or stolen funds were recovered.
The CCPO emphasized that these actions would restore the bond between the citizenry and the state.
“The public has found relief. Today, you can see people coming forward,” he said. He attributed the surge in public cooperation to the police department’s willingness to perform its core duty: protecting the vulnerable from powerful land-grabbing groups.
