September 08, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 07, 1429

FAISALABAD, Sept 7: The might of a notorious gang seems to have outstretched the proverbial long hand of the law as every time some government functionary plans action against its members, it strikes back with more vengeance than before.

These gangsters, having bounty on their heads for their involvement in murders, kidnap for ransom cases, robberies and other heinous crime, have been enjoying blessings of the ‘top brass’ in the government. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had recently ordered immediate arrest of the members of the Bajwa gang, having roots in rural town called Chak Jhumra.

The chief minister learnt about the gang when a woman, Naziran Bibi, narrated during an open court in Lahore her family’s victimisation by the gang. Shahbaz Sharif directed the police to register a case on the woman’s complaint.

Instead of any prompt relief, the complaint proved costly to the Chak Jhumra resident as the gang members gunned down her brother Muhammad Afzal and injured two other members of her family at Islampura some time ago. Naziran had been living at her brother’s house after leaving her home at Chak 126-RB, Paharang.

The police, however, instituted a case against the gangsters and managed to capture the ageing ringleader, Mukhtar alias Mukhtara Bajwa, who was first consigned to the district jail but later shifted to the central jail for the reasons best known to the prison authorities. Mukhtara was arrested by the police when he reached the district courts to seek pre-arrest bail.

Information extracted by Dawn revealed that the Bajwa gang included seven sons and a nephew of Mukhtara. Among the gangsters are Ashraf, Sana, Zaka, Atta and Khurram alias Khurrami (the nephew).

Both Mukhtara Bajwa and Khurrami are the nazims of union councils 14 and 15, respectively, and had been attending the district council session at will despite having their names in the police record. The gang, according to sources, had been patronised by the former Punjab Assembly speaker and some police high-ups.

Sources said Afzal Sahi was the major hurdle in action against the criminals as he would take political benefits through these gangsters. Once a police team took Khurrami into custody after learning that the Bajwa gang had developed differences with Sahi, but he had to be allowed safe passage after they reconciled.

As the incumbent chief minister had ordered stern action against the gang, sources said, City Police Officer Aslam Tareen found himself in a difficult situation in view of the influence of the gang. The police have failed to arrest all members of the wanted gang.

The criminals, sources said, greased the palms of the police officers to avert action. “The general perception is that the policemen are providing support to the gang and whenever a raid is planned for their arrest, some insiders pass on the information to the felons who make good their escape,” they said.

Although the Bajwa group has left Jhumra, it is still enjoying the political backing and committing crimes under the nose of the district police. Learning about the police protection to the wrongdoers, sources said, the CPO changed the entire staff of Jhumra and Sahianwala police stations but that, too, did not work.

A police officer, who requested anonymity, simply called the mission to eliminate the Bajwa gang an arduous task.

Regional Police Officer Abdul Majeed said teams had been constituted to arrest the criminals while the CPO believed that it was not easy to catch the culprits because most of them had escaped abroad.