August 30, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 27, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 29: Police on Friday busted a gang allegedly involved in the recent jewellery shops robberies and recovered arms and ammunition and some looted gold from their possession.

Speaking at a press conference, SSP Investigation East Abdul Khaliq Shaikh said that acting on a tip-off a police team arrested three suspects allegedly involved in various robberies.

The suspects have been identified as Hamid Piya, Mohammad Zaheer, and Haider Ali alias Fauji. Police have also recovered five pistols, an AK-47 rifle, a repeater gun and around five tolas of gold from their possession. Following interrogation the police arrested four of their associates Asif Taufiq, Mohammad Aziz, Aslam Zafar and Mohammad Naeem.

According to the police, one of the suspects Hamid Piya despite having an artificial leg moves perfectly well and had taken part in various robberies as well.

SSP Abdul Khaliq Shaikh told newsmen that the arrested criminals had recently robbed various jewellery shops at Shama Shopping Centre in Shah Faisal Town and were also found involved in similar robberies in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, New Karachi and Malir.

According to the police official, the gang had carried out similar robberies in parts of Lahore and was also involved in a murder as well.

He said that the gang’s style of action had remained same throughout all the robberies they had carried out so far. He said that they used to carry out their plan with ten to fifteen members of their gang riding motorcycles.