MULTAN, Jan 31: Law enforcement agencies deputed at Mazari Goth in Rajanpur district to protect the Sui gas pipelines have moved against the Mazaris.

According to information gathered by this correspondent through various official and non-official sources in the area, the rangers raided the house of Wadera Ghulam Husain Mazari on Friday noon and took into custody his young son Basheer who was carrying an AK-47 rifle.

Basheer reportedly produced his arms licence but to no avail. The rangers sent his and his three companions — Ata, Ameer Jan and Pir Bakhsh — to Shahwali police station.

They were, however, released in the evening but under the condition not to carry even their licenced arms in public.

Talking to Dawn, Basheer Mazari accused the government of making them scapegoat after failing to check Bugti tribesmen. “The government wants us to fall prey to the Bugtis attack without any resistance,” infuriated Basheer said.

Meanwhile, the police have failed to recover the officials allegedly kidnapped by Bugti tribesmen six days ago from Indus highway in the Rojhan police station area.

Police sources said Wadera Sardar Khan Khirzani had been approached to mediate between police and the outlaws to secure the release of the officials. It is learnt that the kidnappers belonged to Lal-Chimu gang which has its headquarters in the hills of Dera Bugti, close to the Punjab-Balochistan border.

Sources said it seemed that the officials’ released could be secured only by paying ransom to the kidnappers. They said even last time the police had to pay ransom to get back the official vehicle of the Rajanpur police chief some two years ago.

IMPOUNDING: Local police, after impounding a couple of dozen Toyota pick-ups from the Mazaris, have handed them over to the rangers to patrol the area. Moreover, revenue department officials of Rojhan tehsil have been directed to ‘collect’ resources to host the para-military personnel in Mazari Goth.