LAHORE, July 25: Three men were arrested while extorting money with the help of as many policemen from sellers of animals at the cattle market on Bund Road on Wednesday.
District Coordination Officer Muhammad Ijaz, on a ‘tip-off,’ directed veterinary doctors Aizaz Anjum and Shakeel Ahmad of the City District Government of Lahore to take action against the extortionists who had allegedly been collecting Rs0.7 million to Rs1 million on Wednesdays.
Dr Anjum reached Bakar Mandi early on Wednesday morning in the guise of an agent. At around 8am, Akmal Bhatti, Ishaq and Iftikhar Butt came there along with constables Arif, Shahzad and Allah Ditta in a vehicle of Mujahid Force (No-92) and started extorting Rs1,200 from each cattle-laden truck that entered the Mandi.
The two vets succeeded in nabbing Akmal Bhatti, Ishaq and Iftikhar Butt with the help of the CDGL while the policemen managed to escape in their vehicle.
The constables were traced and arrested when the vets apprised the DCO of the situation who contacted the respective SP.
A case against the arrested accused has been registered by the Sherakot police.
Extortion from buyers and sellers of sacrificial animals came to limelight two days before Eidul Azha and the CDGL high-ups had on Dec 30 last year sent special squads to nab the ‘culprits’ who disappeared from the scene as ‘somebody had informed them about the development’.
However, they surfaced again both at the cattle market on Bund Road and the adjoining areas after four hours or so by changing their modus operandi while the administration of Samanabad and Allama Iqbal towns continued blaming each other for the illegal practice.
The CDGL high-ups also directed the town municipal officers of the two local bodies to show cause for laxity in this regard. The government appointed a senior local government officer to hold an inquiry to this effect and submit a report.
The LG department officer held nazims of two union councils besides a partner of Bakar Mandi tax contractor responsible for the extortion while skillfully exonerating the TMA concerned of the charge of showing laxity.
The DCO had on Jan 8 constituted a two-member committee to probe the matter and fix responsibility. Comprising the district officer (coordination) and the deputy district officer (accounts), the committee was to submit its report by Jan 22.
The committee held many meetings since then, but could not arrive at a conclusion while extortion from both sellers and buyers visiting the cattle market on Bund Road continued unabated.
After two meatless days, sellers start bringing their cattle on Wednesday afternoon every week in trucks to the market that can only be approached from the Bund Road side. The road to the market from Sabzazaar has been closed down for heavy traffic on the insistence of residents of the housing colony who have been demanding shifting of the slaughterhouse, adjacent to Bakar Mandi, to some other place.