Black market: 400 blankets seized, one man arrested

The blankets were meant for flood victims, the accused was allegedly going to sell them in the black market.

SUKKUR: Rohri police arrested a man and seized a pickup van, loaded with blankets, from Sharafabad police station on Sunday afternoon. The blankets were meant for the flood victims and the accused was allegedly going to sell them in the black market.

During a routine check at Sharafabad police check-post, the Rohri police stopped the pickup van. When the driver, Mohammad Ali Mirani, failed to give an appropriate answer regarding the blankets, SHO Rohri Tahir Mughal said that he arrested the driver and seized some 400 blankets from his possession. During the initial investigation, the accused, who had initially claimed to be a volunteer of the Red Crescent Society, told the police that the blankets were from a quarter of the irrigation department in Sukkur.

Sukkur DDO revenue Sumair Syed told The Express Tribune that the police raided the quarter belonging to Rajab Mirani and found 19 bundles of blankets. He said that a thorough investigation would be carried out.

However, no case was registered till the filing of this report.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2011.