Makhad Sharif residents welcome ban on boat movement

ATTOCK – Residents of Makhad Sharif have welcomed the district administra­tion's decision to ban boat move­ment in the Indus River near the town, calling it a long-overdue step to curb crime, illegal placer gold prospecting and cross-bor­der movement of criminals.

Key points

• According to locals, the Indus River near Makhad Sharif had be­come a hub for illegal placer gold mining and trading.
• "This is a very good step by DPO Ali Bin Tariq, " a shopkeeper in the town's bazaar remarked.
• According to a resident of Rukhwan, his village depends en­tirely on Makhad Sharif for basic needs.
• Rawalpindi police claim 50pc drop in crime throughout Safe City covered areas.
• The overwhelming sentiment in Makhad Sharif is in favor of keep­ing the ban in place permanently.

Speaking to The Nation, individuals from different segments of socie­ty in Mukhad Sharif stated that Dis­trict Police Officer Attock Ali Bin Tariq lately imposed the ban, and it should have been enforced years ago.

"The movement of criminals through these boats was extreme­ly easy, " a local elder remarked. "Crimi­nals from Punjab would cross into KP and those from KP would enter Punjab without any check. There was no system to monitor who was coming or going."

According to locals, the Indus River near Makhad Sharif had be­come a hub for illegal placer gold mining and trading. More than 20 boats were operating in the area before the ban, with residents claiming that almost half of them belonged to residents involved in il­legal gold extraction.

"There was no obstacle for those involved in the illegal placer gold business and other suspicious ac­tivities because boat movement was continuous, day and night, " remarked another resident. "These boats were not just used for trans­port but were the main tool for il­legal trade and for escaping after committing crimes." Accident on IJP Road leaves motorcyclist dead.

Community members alleged that the same route was additionally be­ing employed to smuggle contraband items and to create law and order challenges in the border area. "The people who are making hue and cry against this ban are those who were involved in illegal gold trad­ing and other illegal activities, " one resident asserted. "They are the ones who benefited the most from unchecked boat movement."

In practice, the overwhelming sentiment in Makhad Sharif is in favor of keep­ing the ban in place permanently.

"This is a very good step by DPO Ali Bin Tariq, " a shopkeeper in the town's bazaar remarked. "The ban should not be lifted at any cost. It will support improve security, stop il­legal mining, and restore peace in the area." Locals argued that with boat movement restricted, police will find it easier to monitor the riverbank and prevent criminals from using the Indus as an escape route between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Nevertheless, the ban has additionally cre­ated difficulties for residents of Rukhwan village. It falls with­in Attock district.

According to a resident of Rukhwan, his village depends en­tirely on Makhad Sharif for basic needs. "We come to Makhad Sharif for the market and for the dispen­sary. Now with the ban on boats, we are facing a shortage of edi­bles and having challenges access­ing health facilities, " he stated. He requested the administration to consider an alternative arrange­ment, such as a regulated ferry service under police supervision, so that genuine villagers do not suffer while the crackdown on il­legal activities continues. Why do our faculty members need industrial exposure?

Police sources remarked the ban was imposed after repeated com­plaints concerning the misuse of boats for illegal purposes. The Indus at Makhad Sharif forms a natural boundary between Punjab and KP, and for years it was applied as a free corridor for inter-provincial movement.

Authorities stated the objective is to improve law and order, stop il­legal gold prospecting, and en­sure that the river is not applied to facilitate crime. They continued that strict monitoring is being carried out along the riverbank and ac­tion will be taken against anyone identified violating the ban. Despite the inconvenience to a few villag­es, most residents of Makhad Sha­rif expressed satisfaction with the decision. They pressed the district administration and police to main­tain strict vigilance and not to re­verse the ban under pressure.

Taken together, the developments around makhad Sharif residents welcome ban on boat movement point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.