BAHAWALPUR, Jan 20: The ring leader of the Musafirkhana bank dacoity is the son of Maj Shamshad Ahmad (retired), a member of the district safety commission.

The nomination of Shamshad was recommended by a panel headed by the local district and sessions judge which was later finalized by the Punjab home secretary and the governor.

Dawn learnt that the jeep and the motorcycle owned by Shahzad was allegedly used by his accomplices in the dacoity on Friday last.

The jeep was recovered by policemen from a service station on the Hasilpur Road when former DBA secretary Sarfraz Khera came to take away the vehicle.

It was learnt that Shahzad had planned the dacoity and informed his companions on a mobile phone who raided the branch where he himself handed over them Rs2.2 million in cash.

Meanwhile, two of the four alleged occupants of the jeep have been identified as Nadir Khan and Amanullah of Loralai. They had come to Bahawalpur and stayed in a hotel near the bus stand about two or three days before the incident.

A police team has been dispatched to Loralai to arrest them besides recovering the remaining cash of about Rs1.2 million from them

All the four arrested accused including the librarian of the Bosan Road College, Multan, Azhar Khursheed, are now on physical remand till Jan 22.

DECORATED: Chief of President Staff Lt-Gen Hamid Javed at a darbar to mark the 48th re-raising day of armour regiment installed and decorated Brig Syed Khurshid Alam (retired) as the fourth armour regiment colonel (Baloch horse), ISPR press release issued here said.