ABBOTTABAD: Abbottabad police on Thursday arrested a sub-inspector of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Excise and Taxation Department over alleged assault on Naran-bound tourists, police said.
According to the police statement, a case has been lodged against the sub-inspector of the Excise department at the police station Cantt, and he has been taken into custody.
Tourist Imran Afridi had filed a formal complaint to the police and claimed that they were heading towards Naran for a picnic when sub-inspector Naseem Khan beat them up.
The complainant claimed in the FIR that they were detained by the sub-inspector and tortured while demanding half a million Pakistani rupees.
“We were tortured with sticks for not paying the demanded money to the Excise sub-inspector,” FIR reads.
The police statement noted that the police have registered a case against 10 unknown persons, including Sub-Inspector Naseem Khan, under relevant sections and began further interrogation into the case.
It said that attempts were being made to trace out the remaining suspects who allegedly tortured the tourists.
140,000 tourists explore Galiyat attractions during Eid holidays
The Galiyat region emerged as a major tourist hotspot during the Eidul-Azha holidays, attracting an influx of more than 140,000 visitors to its various scenic attractions.
Highlighting the area’s growing appeal on a global scale, the region also welcomed more than 30 foreign tourists during the festive period. This massive surge in tourism was accompanied by a significant increase in vehicular traffic, with more than 37,000 vehicles entering Galiyat over the holidays.
Director General of the Galiyat Development Authority (GDA), Muhammad Fawad, stated that providing the best possible facilities to visitors remained the authority’s top priority. He noted that highly effective arrangements were put in place to manage cleanliness, traffic flow, and overall tourist facilities throughout the Eid holidays. According to the Director General, these collective efforts have successfully transformed Galiyat into an attractive and safe destination for both domestic and international travellers.
Expressing his appreciation for the smooth operations, Muhammad Fawad commended the hard work of all relevant institutions, attributing the high turnout to the strong trust tourists place in the region. He said that the continuous increase in visitor numbers serves as undeniable proof of Galiyat’s immense importance to the tourism sector. The DG GDA assured that all available resources were fully utilised to deliver quality facilities during the holidays, adding that further steps will be taken moving forward to continue promoting tourism across the Galiyat region.
