February 28, 2008	Thursday	Safar 20 ,1429

ISLAMABAD, Feb 27: The capital police have booked two retired army officers on the charges of pilfering anti-riot equipment of the law enforcers, officials said on Wednesday.

The two officers — Col (retired) Javaid Omer and Maj (retired) Sajid Warraich — who are yet to be arrested, had been appointed as instructors in 1998 for a “Special Protection Group Course” aimed at training police personnel for the protection of VVIPs in Islamabad.

The instructors had received bullet-proof vests, weapons and other anti-riot equipment from the Islamabad police store for training purposes, but they did not return all the items and left the city.

Sub-inspector (SI) Shams Akbar from the Sabzi Mandi police, who is leading the investigation into the case, told this reporter that the visiting retired army officers were issued nine bullet-proof jackets, tear-gas shells, one 9mm pistol, one wireless set, one mega phone and some other gadgets.

The SI said even after the course concluded, the instructors did not deposit the equipment and left Islamabad.

Shams Akbar said: “I have been trying to trace out the addresses of the two instructors.”