Focusing on ‘soft targets’: Gang looting Chinese nationals busted

Suspects had also allegedly murdered a Chinese woman during a robbery in G-10/4

ISLAMABAD: Police Monday claimed to have busted a gang who were allegedly involved in looting Chinese nationals living in Islamabad.

The gang was allegedly involved in at least six robberies which targeted the residences of Chinese nationals in the capital. These included the one in Sector G-10 during which a Chinese woman was allegedly killed.

This was disclosed by Inspector General Islamabad Police Sultan Azam Temuri who addressed a news conference along with representatives of the Chinese Embassy at the Police Lines Headquarters on Monday to announce the bust. “The accused would follow Chinese nationals from shopping malls and markets [to their homes]. They would recce their homes and would rob them a few days later. They targeted affluent Chinese only, as they considered them a soft target,” Temuri explained.

The inspector general added with a hint of admission that back-to-back crime incidents had left a sense of insecurity among Chinese nationals in the capital.

Police say the gang has confessed to six incidents of looting Chinese nationals at gunpoint in recent months.

On December 29, the four-member gang had looted Rs0.7 million, 200 RMB and a mobile phone from a Chinese national in Sector G-10/4. During the robbery, the robbers allegedly opened fire and critically injured a Chinese woman. The victim, identified as Hulixia, died a few days later at the hospital.

The gang had also robbed Chinese nationals in sectors F-8, F-10, G-10, G-9 and G-11.

The police chief said the Special Investigation Unit of the capital police was tasked with tracking down the suspects, who were arrested from the capital. The suspects were identified as Syed Tehseen (ringleader), Syed Zulqarnain, and Khurram Ibrahim.

The fourth member of the gang is still at large.

Police said they had recovered two pistols, two stolen laptops, a stolen mobile phone, hammer, iron rods and Rs160,000 in cash from the suspects. The police team who had managed to track down and arrest the suspects were also awarded certificates by the police chief. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2018.