PESHAWAR: The long-standing cries for justice from the people of Peshawar have finally been heard as the government takes swift action against corrupt officials. Reports have surfaced that the former CCPO, Ijaz Khan, had amassed a staggering amount of one billion rupees through corrupt means during his tenure. It has been alleged that his cousin, an ex MPA, had played a role in securing his posting and that he had brought in officers from his native district, resulting in a surge of crime and illegal activities in Peshawar. The situation had become dire as even the excise and taxation force officials were being detained for catching smugglers, while the rate of drug sales, thefts, murders, and smuggling had skyrocketed in every street. Despite numerous reports of corruption against DIG Ijaz Khan, it took the intervention of the caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan and Governor Ghulam Ali to finally bring about a change. Enter Syed Ashfaq Anwar, a beacon of integrity and duty who had previously eradicated police corruption and crime from Swat and Bannu. His transfer to Peshawar is a ray of hope for the people who had been left in shock after his departure from Bannu, as he had left behind a legacy that would never be forgotten. However, his task will not be an easy one as the former CCPO had allegedly placed numerous corrupt officers in Peshawar and bought properties with illegal money. It is imperative that the caretaker government takes swift action to expel Ijaz Khan from the province to prevent the cancer of corruption from spreading further. The people of Peshawar have suffered for far too long, and it is time for justice to be served. Let us hope that the new CCPO, Syed Ashfaq Anwar, can rise to the challenge and bring about positive change for the people of Peshawar.
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