FAISALABAD, July 31: Having failed to get the suspects arrested after six months of efforts, a frustrated US national of Pakistani origin whose house was looted and family members were ruthlessly beaten up by robbers, has flown back to America – apparently for good.

A few years ago, Aslam Shah, 60, bade farewell to the US and settled in Faisalabad.

On Jan 17 this year, a gang of 16 robbers stormed his house at Sidhupura and looted valuables.

The incident occurred even though the CIA officials, who had prior information of the robbery, had mounted a 72-hour watch around the house.

The CIA men and police, equipped with night goggles and bullet-proof jackets, took positions on rooftops of nearby houses and adjoining fields.

Yet, the robbers were able to scale the rear wall of the house by using a ladder they had taken from a nearby outhouse after holding a watchman hostage.

The robbers thrashed female family members of Aslam Shah and deprived the family of valuables. Then there was the sound of a gunshot outside and the robbers slipped out.

Police opened fire, but none of the robbers was seriously hurt.

One of the fleeing robbers was arrested by the then Ghulam Mohammadabad SHO, Inspector Nasir Chattha, outside the house.

Another suspect was picked up a few hours after the robbery, sources said.

Ali Akbar, brother-in-law of Aslam Shah, told Dawn that robbery at their house was a nightmare for the family but police handled it like a minor incident.

“We were hopeful of the robbers’ arrest because of Inspector Chattha who was cooperating with us.

“But he was transferred and this disappointed us because his successor stopped focusing on the case,” he said.

Mr Akbar said that the family pursued the case for six months and repeatedly requested the police to trace the robbers, but to no avail. Aslam Shah got fed up and on June 30 he along with his wife left Pakistan for the US, he added.

The sources said that the then head of CIA, an official of the SP rank facing an inquiry into a ‘fake’ encounter case in Lahore, got the arrested robbers killed in separate `shootouts’ on Jan 20 after taking high-ups into ‘confidence’.

No action has been taken against the police. The post-mortem report said both the killed suspects, identified as Ashiq and Amin, were subjected to severe torture before they died in the shootouts.

Talking to Dawn, Sajjad, a neighbour of Aslam Shah, alleged that not only the robbers but the police also looted the family as they took away from the house a licensed pistol and a Pump Action rifle along with bullets.

He said police had been asked to return the weapons, but they responded that these were taken away by robbers.

Police said investigation was under way and robbers would be arrested soon along with the booty.