High laxity: Daylight robbery near Military Accounts office

One of the victims was shot during the incident.

RAWALPINDI:

Despite Inspector General of the Punjab Police (IGP) Mushtaq Sukhera’s strict orders to beef up security in the light of intelligence reports, the police were clueless after two prize bond dealers were robbed of Rs2.5 million by three armed robbers in broad daylight.

One of the victims was also shot during the incident. The incident took place in the Cantonment Police Station area while police claimed they were on high alert.

Locals rushed Malik Jamshed, the injured victim, to DHQ hospital in a rickshaw, where doctors said he was out of danger.

According to sources, prize bond dealers Shabbir Hussain Shah and Jamshed were going to their shop near Sonehri Mosque in Sarafa Bazaar on a motorcycle after buying prize bonds worth Rs2.5 million from the State Bank of Pakistan when three robbers intercepted them near the Military Accounts building at around 3pm. The robbers held the two men on gunpoint and demanded the bag containing the prize bonds. “When Jamshed tried to offer resistance, a robber shot and injured him,” police sources said. Later, the robbers grabbed the bag and sped away, sources added. Shah and Jamshed are residents of Dhoke Khaba and Dhoke Ratta respectively.

The locals shifted injured to DHQ in a rickshaw. SHO Amir Khan, when contacted, confirmed the incident. He said that police lodged a case against unknown dacoits and started investigation. However, police could not arrest or trace the fleeing dacoits so far.

It is noted that the areas of PS Cantonment  have apparently become a safe heaven for dacoits and car lifters as on July 7, robbers snatched Rs 1.6 million from Faisal Razaaq after injuring him after opening indiscriminate firing on him near Railway Station. Dozens of cars and motorcycles have also been picked away by car jackers. CPO was not available for his comments over surge in crime rate in Cannt area.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2014.