Pranksters posing as militants arrested

KARACHI: The Khokrapar police say that they have arrested two young men accused of sending threatening letters to the Sindh Government Hospital, which had caused a security panic given that it was supposedly written by a banned militant outfit.

These two had written a letter to the medical superintendent, Salma Gauhar, threatening her of an attack, as they accused her of spreading religious hatred.

The police said the criminals were arrested after they made a threatening call to Gauhar. They called from a landline that was registered under the name of Zahoor and when the police traced the call and conducted a raid they found Zahoor’s son, Saleem, and his friend, Mansoor. The police also believed that their other friends were also part of the prank. During interrogation, the police found out that Zahoor died a few years ago and that his son wrote the letter and harassed Gauhar for fun.

SHO Arbab Magsi told The Express Tribune that the case has been forwarded to the investigation department of the police for further inquiry.

The police have lodged an FIR, number 255/10, under section 506 D of the Telegraphic Act, on the complaint of Gauhar.

“Start counting your days from today…” warned the handwritten threat in Urdu addressed to the medical superintendent of the Sindh Government Hospital and signed by the ‘Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Karachi Wing’.

The letter received by Gauhar through ordinary post had sparked mild panic in the hospital some two weeks back. Police, Rangers and the bomb disposal squad had arrived on her request and secured the hospital premises. Three policemen were appointed outside the hospital and a gunman was also assigned to offer 24-hour protection to Gauhar.

Published in the Express Tribune,June 9^th, 2010.