Police claimed on Friday to have arrested five members of a robbery gang in Bahawalpur.
Speaking at a press conference, District Police Officer (DPO) Sohail Habib Tajik said the men were involved in stealing cattle and hijacking cars.
He said a police team comprising City DSP Muhammad Riaz, Inspector Afzaal Ahmed, the Baghdadul Jadeed SHO, and Sub-Inspector Muhammad Irshad had been formed to arrest Muhammad Shahan, Ghulam Zakir, Mushtaq, Khuda Bakhsh and Muhammad Farooq.
He said police had recovered two motorcycle rickshaws, a motorcycle and valuables worth Rs15,000 from the men. In addition, he said two illicit pistols and a rifle were also seized from them.
Citizens protest against robberies
Dozens of residents of Sitara Colony in Faisalabad on Friday staged a protest demonstration against Samanabad police’s alleged failure to control robberies. Nazeer Anwar, one of the protestors, told the media that there had been 150 robberies in two months.
“Robbers snatch motorcycles and valuables everyday… Police have not arrested anyone so far,” he said.
Zeeshan Akram, another protestor, said, “We have filed many complaints but police have taken no steps in this regard.” He alleged that some policemen were patronising the criminals.
The protestors blocked Sitara Colony Road and demanded immediate action against the culprits. The demonstration ended when the Samanabad station house officer (SHO) assured them that special police squads would be deployed at Sitara Colony to root out street crime.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2014.