In a rather unusual assembly, 11 wanted men surrendered before a public gathering in a sub district of Rahim Yar Khan, where they took an oath over the Holy Quran that they had quit crime, police said on Thursday.
Police said the men belonged to the Bhatti gang. They said more than 60 cases were traced to them including robbery, kidnap for ransom and encroachment on private property in various police station across south Punjab. The gang, police said, had been involved in criminal activities for seven years.
The gathering was organised by Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl in the rural area of Shekhan Bhutta in Khanpur sub district.
“We wanted them to surrender in public. We think this will make them more likely to keep their promise,” Maulana Fateehullah Ebad said while talking to The Express Tribune.
He said that he and his team had met the ‘criminals’ individually to convince them to giveup crime and turn to a life of honesty. He said the counselling continued for over a year before the criminals “realised that they were on the wrong path”.
He requested the police not to register false FIRs against people.
The police should give them (those falsely implicated) a chance to prove themselves innocent before taking any step, he said.
Later, talking to The Express Tribune, one of the self-confessed criminals said that he had pledged never to commit any crime again. He said he and the others were ready to face the cases against them in the courts.
However, he said, he expected the courts would show leniency in making decisions against them.
He said that not all cases against him and his accomplices were factual and accused the police of filing fake cases. He said he had never been involved in murder, but was accused of it. He hoped the courts would give their verdicts on merit and after proper investigation.
The criminals thanked Maulana Ebaad for his support.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Sheikh Abid said that the criminals had spent several years in different prisons in the Punjab.
He said they had made the gang after they were released from the jails.
He said the police had not registered any fake cases. These men, he said, were suspects in a murder case.
JUI-F’s Asad Darkh Wasti, Sahibzada Azizur Rehman and Mufti Habibur Rehman were also present at the oath taking.
They lauded Maulana Ebaad’s preaching to the criminals. They said they hoped that other criminals would take it as an example.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2012.
COMMENTS (3)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1714024018-0/ModiLara-(1)1714024018-0-270x192.webp)
@Think: You dont need to be cynical. This is a very positive contribution from Ulema. Usually instead of campaigning for public good issues, they spend their time raving and ranting against non issues.
Imagine if Mullacracy goes after corrupt Bureaucracy and tax evading traders by openly naming / shaming them in Khutbas instead of getting donations from them. Similarly instead of protesting against perceived obscenity on TV, they start issuing Fatwas against food adulteraters and acid throwers. The potential is unlimited and their record unfortunately abysmal.
@omar ahmed: Why were they mingling with criminals in the first place. Most sane people stay away from these kind of people.
Wow, great work Maulana Sahib. Wonder why other Pakistani's are not flocking to laud this step and also take a break from Mulla-bashing which has now become a favourite pass time of us these days.