Why is a Pakistani journalist on the ‘most wanted list’?
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has released the latest “most wanted terrorists” list, which shockingly includes the name of a prominent tribal journalist and author, Ihsanur Rehman Dawar.
The counter-terrorism department on Tuesday placed the name of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) assistant director Ihsanur Rehman Dawar on the list of most wanted fugitives announcing a bounty of Rs1 million for information leading to his arrest.
Mr Dawar, a former journalist and an author, is part of the list along with over 150 other proclaimed offenders. The profile shared by the CTD has incorrectly named him Ihsanullah Khan.
Dawar expressed shock at the inclusion, stating that he has been residing in Peshawar since 2011 and has no criminal record.
Dawar asserts that his father’s name, home address, and picture are correctly identified as per Dawn.
“This is how our institutions are working. They have ruined my reputation,” Dawar lamented, vehemently denying any connections to militants within his family.
The CTD, in a statement, insisted that Ihsanullah Khan was nominated in an FIR for attacking an army picket in North Waziristan in 2019, leading to his proclamation as a wanted offender.
The department justified the Rs1 million bounty, claiming it was recommended by the district police officer and duly notified by the home department.
The Miramshah Press Club criticized the CTD’s move, describing Dawar as an “honorary member” and denouncing the reward for his arrest.
The case in question involves a 2019 firing incident at the Khar Kamar checkpost, which resulted in casualties. Dawar was declared a proclaimed offender, but lawmakers Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar were acquitted in 2020.
The CTD’s most-wanted list, however, has raised eyebrows, with several inaccuracies noted.
The inclusion of surrendered TTP spokesperson Ihsanullah Ihsan, and individuals previously reported dead in Afghanistan, such as Omar Mukarram Khurasani, has underscored concerns about the authenticity and verification of information within the CTD’s records.
Some of the individuals on the wanted list include Jalaluddin, Muhammad Asif Khan, Asif Siddiqui, Muhammad Fayyaz, Inam Qari, Altaf Hussain, Muhammad Rizwan, Shehkar Din Bhatti, Wajid Khan, Niaz Muhammad, Naqab Khan, Kaleem Khan, Zarif Saeed, Yasir Ilyas and Muhammad Kashif.
According to the fresh list, Said Qadar of Mardan carries the highest reward of Rs8 million while Zahid Qadar of the same district carries Rs7 million head money.
In October this year, to combat militancy effectively, the CTD launched an aggressive initiative aimed at apprehending 135 of the most-wanted terrorists, announcing bounties on their heads.
The CTD unveiled a comprehensive list containing the names and photographs of the 135 most-wanted terrorists. This initiative, designed to combat militancy, also included the unprecedented inclusion of a female suspect in the K-P province.
The alleged female terrorist, known as Quratulain, is believed to be the wife of Iqbal, also known as Bali Khiyara, who was a prominent commander of a terrorist group in DI Khan. Iqbal’s life came to an end in a recent encounter with the CTD.
Source: The Current
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