Four booked for fleecing Ehsaas fund recipients in Faisalabad

Faisalabad police nabs suspects involved in 13 cases

FAISALABAD:

Over a dozen cases of fraud were registered by the city police against four accused including a woman, for extorting money from citizens against Ehsaas Kifalat Programme (EKP).

Police said Waqar Ahmed and his wife tricked several women into handing over their identity cards and Rs500 for providing them cash under the EKP. A case was registered against the conning couple in Batala Colony Police Station on a complaint filed by Benazir Income Support Programme Private Assistant Secretary Shoaib Ahmed.

Police recovered a sum of Rs13,000 and 42 identity cards from the possession of the duo.

The Express Tribune learnt that Waqar pretended to be a government officer associated with the EKP and collected money from the women through his spouse by claiming that he could expedite the cash payment from the programme if paid Rs500 under table.

In the second case registered in Batala Colony police station, Sales Agent Zeeshan misappropriated cash of a woman, Maafia Bibi, and paid only Rs4,000 to her. A complaint was lodged against the accused.

Police arrested Zeeshan and recovered the stolen amount from him.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched Ehsaas Kifalat Programme nationwide to provide relief to the impoverished amid coronavirus lockdown to save them from starvation.

Billions of rupees were distributed among deserving people during the last four months.

Deputy Commissioner Faisalabad Muhammad Ali said 1,568 people in Faisalabad district have so far received assistance of more than Rs18,816,000 under the aforesaid programme.

“A total of Rs4.61 billion has been distributed among 383,842 citizens,” he underscored, adding that aid was distributed through 61 counters in 16 centers in the district which are being fully monitored for transparency.

He informed The Express Tribune that so far 440,487 people have been registered and the centers will remain functional till the last person receives Rs12,000.

Referring to the counterfeiters, the deputy commissioner said that district administration and police are monitoring the programme on a daily basis.

Rifat Mukhtar Raja, Faisalabad Regional Police Officer (RPO), while talking to Express Tribune said that many complaints of forgery and fraud are being received regarding the remittance of funds under the financial relief programme.

People's Colony, Sammundari, Tandlianwala, Gulberg, Kotwali Factory Area and Nishatabad Police Stations have so far registered 13 cases of forgery and fraud related to EKP and arrested the suspects for detailed investigation.

The RPO further said that as per the instructions of the government, the police officers along with the district administration officers not only visit Ehsaas Cash Centres regularly, they also listen to the complaints of the citizens on the spot and address them immediately. “The elements who commit fraud will not be able to escape from the grip of the law,” the RPO warned.

“Subordinate officers have been issued clear instructions to grant no concessions to the criminal elements involved in money laundering and trickery.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2020.