May 21, 2006	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 22, 1427

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GUJRANWALA, May 20: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) passport cell claimed on Saturday to have arrested as many as four human smugglers during raids at Jalalpur Jattan, Gujrat and the city.

Reports said Qurban Ali of Gujrat had been booked by FIA in 1988 on charges of selling his passport of Greek nationality and sending people abroad illegally. But he could not be arrested and was declared a proclaimed offender.

Another trafficker Inayat Butt of Jalalpur Jattan had been booked in 2004 when he sent as many as 35 people to Greece following extorting Rs350,000 from each and disappeared.

FIA deputy-director Akram Naeem Bharoka received an information that both were present at their houses. A team, led by SI Riaz Janjua, raided Gujrat and Jalalpur Jattan and arrested them. The raiding party also arrested two brothers — Yousaf and Younas — for sending youths to UK illegally after receiving heavy money from them.

TWO POs KILLED: Two proclaimed offenders were killed in a police ‘encounter’ at Syedwala Qadirabad on Saturday.

DIG Zafar Abbas Lak said Mukhtar alias Ghana and Zafar Gulzar had snatched an unregistered motorcycle from a passer-by when he was on his way to the village. On receiving information, a police team, led by Qadirabad SHO Mr Tanvir, chased them. On seeing the police, they opened fire. During a crossfire, both were killed.

The police recovered two kalashnikovs and several rounds from them.

Reports said they had managed their escape from police custody when they were being escorted from Faisalabad jail to Sargodha a few days ago. They had been accused of killing a police constable on resistance.

TRAFFIC BLOCKED: Scores of people on Saturday blocked traffic on GT Road in protest against demolition of an ancient shrine in Mandiala Warriach Cantonment. Reports said some unidentified people on Friday night demolished the shrine of Baba Maskin Shah.

District Police Officer Dr Arif Mushtaq and other senior officials reached the spot and assured protesters that the accused would be arrested soon on which they dispersed peacefully.