ISLAMABAD:
A retired captain of Pakistan Army was arrested from the camp set up by relatives of missing persons on Wednesday.
According to the police, the man was impersonating as an official of the country’s premier intelligence agency who offered help in release of missing persons.
Acting on complaints from relatives, the Secretariat police nabbed Captain (retd) Shoaib Cheema, who allegedly offered help in securing release of missing persons.
“He came to the camp and showed himself as an influential officer of an intelligence agency. He said he can help us in getting our loved ones released,” said one of the relative at the camp.
He accused Cheema of stirring a momentary hope in all those present by explaining his plan.
According to one of the relatives, Cheema asked them to categorise the number of missing persons on the basis of priority into different groups, who would be released in phases. “He said he can easily get 100 missing persons released straight away as he was a close to the head of a premier intelligence agency and would personally handle the issue,” said another relative.
Later, the relatives found out some discrepancies in his claims, which raised suspicion among them. They then reported the matter to the police, who arrested the impersonator.
During preliminary investigations, Cheema said he voluntarily decided to help the families of missing persons after he read their stories in newspapers.
“I thought I could tell them the procedure and techniques that they could use to secure the release of their loved ones,” he explained.
A police official told The Express Tribune that the 45-year-old suspect appears to be in stable mental and physical health. However, he would further be probed to ascertain if he is suffering from any mental instability.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2012.
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