NAROWAL: A Sialkot trader was left shocked following a street robbery, when one of the two robbers, who deprived him of Rs160,000 cash, told him they had only been forced to commit the crime because they had to pay an inflated electricity bill.

Anjuman Tajran Circular Road, Sialkot, President Haji Abdul Ghafoor, told police that he was returning home after closing his shop on Sunday night, carrying Rs160,000, when two masked motorcyclists intercepted him.

He said the masked men took out pistols and told him to handover the cash he had on him. He said one of the robbers took the cash from his pocket.

However, before leaving, one of the robbers said: “Sorry for the inconvenience, in fact the electricity bill has gone too high, making us commit a robbery.”

The trader said the robbers then sped the motorcycle and fled away, brandishing their weapons.

Ghafoor has filed a complaint with Rangpura police station for registration of a case against the unknown robbers.

The police have started investigation.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2022