SAHIWAL: Kasowal police arrested a man for allegedly extorting costly items from a Saudi-based Pakistani, impersonating a senior police officer.

As per the police, the suspect Arbaz Khan, a resident of Mankera, Bhakkar district, contacted Zafar Iqbal, an expat who ran a travel agency in Saudi Arabia, on a social media platform, introduced himself as a senior superintendent of police (SSP) and developed good terms with him.

Later, Arbaz told Zafar that his sister and a cousin were visiting Saudi Arabia, asking him to take care of them. Zafar obliged Arbaz and hosted his relatives.

According to the complainant, the suspect remained in contact with him and would many times appear in police uniform during video calls.

The complainant said that once the suspect asked him if he could bring a costly watch, a mobile phone set and a laptop during his next visit to Pakistan, promising to pay him the price of these items.

Zafar agreed and brought all the costly items when he came to Pakistan and handed these over to a front man of the suspect at a hotel in Chichawatni.

However, instead of making payment to Zafar, the suspect’s accomplice slipped away from the hotel with the costly items.

When Zafar contacted Arbaz, demanding the money, the suspect started threatening him with dire consequences, saying he could also harm the complainant’s children studying in Faisalabad. Zafar finally reported matter to police which later arrested Arbaz and booked him under sections 292, 294, 420, 471, 171, 170 of the Pakistan Penal Code and section 25 of The Telegraph Act-1885.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2024