GUJRAT: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police are not extending cooperation to Gujrat police for the arrest of a gang allegedly involved in a Rs30 million robbery in a fan manufacturing factory and recovery of the looted items.

According to the FIR, on Aug 17 night, 15 robbers stormed the factory on GT Road near Julliani village and took away raw material worth Rs30 million after taking the watchmen and other workers hostage at gunpoint. The robbers reportedly used three trucks to carry the stolen goods along.

The matter was reported to the local police who claimed to have traced the origin of the robbers’ gang in KP, with some of its members hiding in Ghotki area of Sindh. The police used phone calls data to trace the gang members.

According to sources, the local police needed the help of Peshawar and Abottabad police to nab the culprits but the KP police authorities were not cooperating with them in this regard.

Sources said at least four of the suspects had been held so far. However, the KP-based mastermind of the crime, who was allegedly in possession of the booty, was yet to be arrested.

The local business community had lodged a very strong protest and also called on Punjab police chief Mushtaq Sukhera to highlight the issue.

Meanwhile, senior PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday visited the looted factory and assured the owners he would personally talk to KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and the police IG on the issue so that the suspects could be arrested and looted goods recovered.

Published in Dawn, September 17th , 2014