Widow of Rawalpindi man who ended his life due to loan app issues desperate plea for justice
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The widow of a Rawalpindi man — who died by suicide last month due to “threats” made by employees of predatory mobile loan apps — on Friday urged the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) not to show weakness and demanded justice for her deceased husband.
In mid-July, 42-year-old Mohammad Masood died by suicide due to blackmail and threats by loan apps over his failure to repay the ballooning interest on his debts.
The next day, the FIA’s cybercrime wing had launched an investigation into the matter, following which it arrested nine suspects and booked 19 others.
The incident had led to strong public backlash, with the abysmal situation of the financially vulnerable coming to the fore.
Subsequently, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had blocked 43 lending apps operating without a licence while the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) had advised borrowers to review the legal status of such apps before signing up for loans.
This week, around 120 illegal loan apps that were previously available on the Google Play and Apple stores were removed from those platforms.
Google has also introduced Pakistan’s Personal Loan App Policy, according to which it only allows SECP-approved personal loan apps to be listed on the Play Store.
Today, Masood’s widow, who wished not to be named and addressed herself as Mrs Masood, demanded justice in a video statement. She recalled that there was a court hearing today where the suspects in her now-deceased husband’s case were presented.
She said, “I do not have enough money to fight this case. I appeal to the honourable courts and the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) to give me justice.
“No matter how powerful the suspects are, if our FIA officials do not show weakness and fight this case while considering it of a widow [and a] Pakistani daughter, then they will, God willing, ensure justice for me,” she said.
The widow appealed to the media, the judiciary and the FIA for the “strictest action” to be taken against the suspects and that a “complete ban be imposed on their companies so that hundreds of thousands of others are saved from falling into their traps and from resorting to suicide”.
“I hope that all the institutions will support me and help me in getting justice. I want justice,” she said. “And if I do not get justice, all these institutions that are not supporting me today will be responsible for my suicide as well.”
Court extends 9 suspects’ interim bail till Aug 30
Meanwhile, a Rawalpindi sessions court today extended the interim bail of nine suspects, who were allegedly involved in Masood’s blackmail, till August 30.
The suspects, including two women, were arrested after another nine suspects were last month.
Masood’s wife was made a party in the case upon her request.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Ilyas presided over the hearing while the FIA’s cybercrime wing’s team was also present.
The court directed that the parties appear in the next hearing with full preparation and warned that further adjournment will not be granted.
Moreover, Advocate Syed Masoodul Hasan Shah and Advocate Najaf Shah submitted their Power of Attorney documents to the court today, stating that they will be representing the widow pro bono (without charge).
Subsequently, the court directed them to present their arguments in the next hearing.
