ISLAMABAD: A man was abducted and looted by criminals in the remits of the Sangjani police station, while a father-son duo was robbed by three men dressed as policemen near Pirwadhai Mor, according to police.

Meanwhile, a residence in the highly secured Diplomatic Enclave was ransacked by burglars who took away valuables worth over Rs34 million, besides 50 tolas of gold.

In the first incident, a transporter was on his way to his native village when a gang of criminals in a vehicle offered him a ride, with one of them posing as a conductor. However, instead of going towards the motorway, the vehicle turned towards Chungi No.26. Shortly after, three persons sitting behind the victim held him hostage at gunpoint while the other two blindfolded him. They searched him and took Rs200,000 and a Samsung mobile worth Rs60,000. They escaped towards Rawalpindi after pushing the complainant out of the vehicle. A case has been registered at the Sangjani police station under Section 395 (dacoity).

On I.J.P. Road, three men impersonating police officials in a Honda car stopped a father (who sells samosas and other snacks) and son and asked them for a body search. During the search, they snatched Rs18,000 and 25,000 from the father and the son and escaped. A case was subsequently registered with the Sabzi Mandi police.

In two incidents, police were reluctant to register cases

As per the FIR, the complainant called the police helpline at least 10 times, and in response, a policeman from Shams Colony reached there after half an hour. The policeman asked him to call the Sabzi Mandi police since the crime was committed in their jurisdiction.

Later, he contacted the Sabzi Mandi police and a policeman subsequently arrived at the scene and took him to the police station. After an hour, the police informed him that the crime scene was not in the limit of the Islamabad police and asked him to reach out to the Punjab Police.

Subsequently, he went to the Ratta Amral police station in Rawalpindi, only to be informed that the scene of the crime was in the jurisdiction of the Islamabad police. He went back to the Sabzi Mandi police, but the police staff misbehaved with him and categorically refused to receive the complaint. Later, he submitted an application (CC-DIG-ISB-739) but got no response from the DIG and his office. His efforts to approach the IG office for the registration of an FIR also proved unsuccessful. After persistent efforts, he managed to get a case registration order issued from the office of the IGP.

Similarly, culprits stole cash and valuables worth over Rs34 million from the residence of a businessman, located in the heavily guarded Diplomatic Enclave. Initially, the police refused to register the case; however, the FIR was registered at the Secretariat police station under Section 380 of the Pakistan Penal Code after a court order.

Johar Sarwar, a businessman, told Dawn that some burglars broke into his flat in Karakoram Enclave and ransacked the apartment and stole gold ornaments weighing 52 tolas, local and foreign currency including US dollars, watches, and other household items worth Rs34,697,660. He reported the incident to the police, but the police refused to register the case.

Later, he approached the district courts and submitted a petition under Section 22-A of the Criminal Procedure Code. In response, an additional session judge ordered the police to register the case, he said, adding that the police initially refused to obey the court order and register the case.

Over the refusal, he approached the police again and informed them that he would submit a petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against them for ignoring the court order. In response, the police registered the case 10 days after the court order. It was the burglary incident, but the police registered a theft case, he claimed.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2025