HYDERABAD, Feb 20: The Sindh High Court Hyderabad circuit bench here on Wednesday issued notice to the SHO of Bhittai Nagar police station on a petition filed by Syed Sabir Ali Hashmi, who holds citizenship of UK, seeking protection for him and his property.

The RPO, DPO Hyderabad, SHO Bhittai Naggar and the director-general Rangers have been cited as respondents in the petition.

Mr Hashmi maintained in the petition that after his retirement from his service in UK he had decided to settle in Pakistan with his family.

He said in 1986 he purchased a bungalow where he lived with family and left a caretaker, Nayab Ahmed Khan alias Khan Baba, there.

On Feb 14, 2008, he was present at the bungalow which is located in Gulistan-i-Sajjad, when six armed men forcibly entered into his house and threatened him of dire consequences as they wanted to dispossess him of his property.

Mr Hashmi said the men were land grabbers and if he didn’t vacate the house he would be murdered as they were notorious criminals.

He further said he approached the Bhittai Nagar police station SHO, the respondent no-3, and apprised him about the whole affair and sought protection for his life and property.

He said he moved an application dated Feb 15 before the Hyderabad sessions judge, requesting him for legal action. The judge forwarded a letter to the Hyderabad DPO.

Mr Hashmi further said that nothing had happened for his protection and the land grabbers were extending threats of dire consequences to dispossess him forcibly of his property.

He said whenever the police arrived in the area the land-grabbers disappear and after the police leave they revisit him and extend threats to him, asking him that if he made any compliant they would not spare him.

He stated that police deployment at his house would give him protection.

He said he had gone to Karachi on Feb 13 for some personal work while Nayab Ahmed Khan was home when eight armed men entered his house, looted valuable, household articles, including gold ornaments valued at Rs1 million, 16,000 pounds sterling, prize bonds worth Rs650,000. He said Nayab identified the dacoits.

He said since no action was taken against them and the criminals were continued to threat him and if they were not restrained he would suffer irreparable loss and might be killed or dispossessed of his house.

He said the criminals were bent upon to dislodge him from his home.

He prayed the court to direct the Regional Police Officer and DPO Hyderabad to provide him protection.