ISLAMABAD: Senator Shibli Faraz on Saturday alleged that intelligence agencies could have been involved in the theft of business and income tax documents from his home and said he feared he could be blackmailed because of the documents.

Speaking at a press conference at his residence in F-7/2, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senator said he could not believe thieves were involved in the incident, as whoever had entered the house was interested in documents instead of goods.

“I am not the only one who has faced such a situation. The same thing happened with my father in the 1990s, [when] locks were broken and goods were thrown outside the house onto the road during our absence,” he said.

While discussing the incident, Mr Faraz said the house was vacant, with only a watchman there. “Those who entered the house were only interested in the documents. They checked all the files and stole business-related documents, my income tax returns etc. Those thieves did not steal goods, so I fear the suspects were not thieves. They may try to blackmail me because of the documents,” he alleged.

“Unfortunately, some documents and footage from the Ahmed Faraz Trust have been damaged, [which] is an irreparable loss,” he said. Mr Faraz also showed various rooms of his house in which documents had been thrown on the floor.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Faraz said he has been in the construction business for many years.

“I buy plots, and after constructing houses, sell them or rent them out. There were documents related to my business and income tax returns.

“After the incident, when the Kohsar police were informed, my watchman disappeared as he feared the police may arrest him,” he said.

He said he had wanted to nominate intelligence agencies in his application, but the police had suggested he nominate unknown persons, which would cover everything.

“Although unknown persons have been nominated in the FIR, I believe officials from intelligence agencies were involved because they checked each file and stole only those documents that could be used against me,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2017