KARACHI: Police claimed to have arrested three suspected robbers, including a former Rangers man, on Monday for allegedly looting two mobile phone shops in the Defence Housing Authority.

They said that the three suspects — Waqar Ahmed, Mohammed Sadiq and Mohammed Adil — were arrested in wounded condition following an alleged encounter in Khayaban-i-Abbasi, Phase VII.

South DIG Irfan Ali Baloch said in a tweet that the held suspects were members of an inter-provincial gang and more than 35 snatched cell phones were recovered from their custody.

SSP-South Syed Asad Raza said that their fourth accomplice, Inamullah, was also arrested in Dera Ismail Khan.

He disclosed that suspect Waqar Ahmed was a dismissed Rangers soldier.

He said that the suspects were part of a notorious ‘Saraiki gang’, which had committed several robberies in DHA during the last two months.

The SSP said that they committed a robbery on a mobile phone shop in Saher Commercial on March 12 in which they looted 55 expensive mobile phones worth over Rs10 million and Rs500,000 cash.

On Feb 12, they also snatched 27 cell phones, seven smartwatches and cash from a mobile shop on Badar Commercial, he said.

Two wounded over resistance

A woman and a man were shot at and wounded by armed robbers over resistance in Saddar and Mehmoodabad areas on Monday, police said.

They said that the robbers attempted to snatch the purse from Kishna Rafaqat, 40. As she put up resistance, they fired at her and escaped with the purse.

In another incident, armed robbers shot a man, identified as Jahangir Khan, over resistance in Mehmoodabad. He was shifted to the JPMC.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2023