LAHORE: The Punjab police claim to have arrested 10 more proclaimed offenders (POs) from Gulf states and other countries in the cases lodged against them at various police stations of the province.

Some of them were allegedly paying money to the local shooters for murder of people while others were wanted to the police in the cases of robbery, murder and kidnap for ransom.

The arrests were made by special teams of the Punjab police with the help of Interpol.

A spokesperson for the Punjab police said a crackdown was launched to arrest fugitive proclaimed offenders living abroad.

He said most of the hardened criminals were hiding in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Muscat and Greece from where they were committing heinous crime by hiring local shooters of the Punjab province.

The crackdown was launched on Jan 24 and the Punjab police have so far arrested 28 POs from abroad who were wanted in the criminal cases like robbery, dacoity, murder, attempted murder, kidnap for ransom etc.

Giving details of the recently arrested criminals from abroad, the spokesperson said Narowal police arrested three wanted POs namely Akif Hameed from Dubai, Zaheer from Muscat and Yasir from Greece.

Similarly, Dera Ghazi Khan police arrested three proclaimed offenders Ghulam Fareed, Muhammad Asghar from United Arab Emirates and Zafar Iqbal from Saudi Arabia.

Two proclaimed offenders wanted by Multan police including Muhammad Mujahid, and Waseem were arrested from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Likewise, Sialkot police arrested PO Tayyab Ali and Attock police Ibadat Ali from UAE.

While lauding efforts of the police, IG Dr Usman Anwar directed additional IG investigation Sultan Ahmad Chaudhry to take help of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other government departments for the cancellation of the passports of the absconding criminals wanted to the police.

Dr Usman said the Punjab police teams were working on hundreds of other cases for the issuance of the red notices through Interpol for the arrests of more criminals who were settled abroad and committing crime by hiring local shooters.

He asked the Punjab additional IG investigation to stay in contact with the field officers of the Punjab police for a close liaison with the complainants of the criminal cases to get more details about the criminal activities of the POs settled abroad.

The IG police said RPOs and DPOs should monitor the ongoing crackdown to ensure arrest of the POs to bring them back to Punjab for punishments from the courts.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2023