ISLAMABAD: Two Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) officials were shot dead on Tuesday after they discovered an illegal electricity connection at a factory in Sohan area. They were both employees of the army-run Federal Investigation Unit (FIU) of the Iesco which collects information on power theft.

According to the police, the two officials, Ansar Wadood and Anwar Zada, were inspecting connections at a village in Sohan area when they found a plastic recycling factory engaged in power theft. After making the discovery, they left the factory and were inspecting other connections when unidentified person(s) opened fire from a 9MM pistol.

The two Iesco officials sustained multiple injuries and died on the spot. Later, the bodies were shifted to Polyclinic and Iesco was informed about the incident.

An Iesco Labour Union representative, requesting anonymity, told Dawn the two officials were working in the army-operated Federal Investigation Unit (FIU). Anwar Zada had been working at Iesco for 13 years while Ansar Wadood was working there for the last two years.

Ansar Wadood was a lineman while Anwar Zada worked as a testing inspector at the testing department. Zada has left behind two sons and three daughters.

Another labourer union representative, Atiqur Rehman, told Dawn that usually the inspection team was accompanied by an armed official of the FIU but today the team had been unaccompanied.

Upon hearing about the incident, the labour union and employees of Iesco gathered at Fazal-i-Haq Road to protest the murders. The protesters blocked the road for general traffic and marched to the National Press Club, carrying coffins with the bodies of their murdered colleagues. Funeral prayers were offered by the protesters, who later dispersed peacefully.

The police suspect that the factory owner was behind the murders as he abandoned the factory soon after the incident and went into hiding along with his family.

A case was registered in response to a complaint lodged by the Iesco employees against the unidentified murderer(s).

A police official said some people had seen the factory owner standing wielding a pistol, next to the bodies. He fled the scene before the police could reach and the villagers shifted the bodies to the hospital.

Iesco spokesman, General Manager Operation Faiz Hussain Siddique, said the murders of Iesco employees had disturbed everyone at the company.

He said the FIU was supervised by an army major and the unit collected information on power theft.

Expressing grief and shock over the incident, Water and Power Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif announced Rs2.5 million for the heirs of the murdered employees.

Minister of State Abid Sher Ali and Secretary Younis Dagha also expressed deep sorrow over the incident. The secretary directed the Iesco administration to provide financial assistance to the families of the martyred employees and provide jobs to their family members.

Published in Dawn March 11th , 2015

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