JALALABAD - The governor of eastern Nangarhar province on Monday ordered local security organs to adopt stringent measures against kidnappers and land-grabbers.
Thousands of acres of land have been grabbed in Nangarhar, where kidnapping cases have also increased in recent months. Last week, an international aid worker was abducted in Jalalabad.
Addressing a meeting of the Security Council at his office, Governor Salim Khan Kunduzi ordered the provincial police chief to take decisive action to retake the lands grabbed by powerful individual and bring kidnappers to justice.
He directed police to cooperate with the municipality and other relevant organs in evicting land-grabbers. Deterrent action against kidnappers was a must to restore people’s trust in the government, he argued.
Attaullah Khogyani, the governor’s spokesman, said the meeting had decided to remove tinted glasses from vehicles, scrap temporary weapon licences and prevent non-custom-paid vehicles plying in Nangarhar.
Provincial Council’s Deputy Chairman Dr. Lal Mohammad Durrani said the government should take determined steps to deal with kidnappers and land-grabbers. He said all those arrested on such charges be brought to justice.
A civil society activist, Ikramullah Ikram, believed mafia groups were involved in kidnapping cases. He tinted glass-vehicles were used said in most such cases. The security personnel should search vehicles of senior officials, too, he concluded. Pajhwok)