ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: A senior member of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was allegedly deprived of Rs50,000 cash, detained for hours at a local police station and a complaint seeking action against those involved has yet to be entertained.
MQM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) member Zahid Malik said that he was intercepted at the police checkpoint at Golra Mor, while travelling towards Golra.
The policemen at the checkpoint asked permission to search his vehicle which was allowed and during the search found a licenced weapon.
On inquiry, he introduced himself and also produced a licence for the weapon but the policemen took him to a cabin and detained him there.
During detention, he made a call to Inspector General of Police and narrated the highhandedness of the policemen, he said.
After detaining him in the cabin, the policemen again searched his vehicle and later shifted him to Sabzi Mandi police station, he said.
According to Mr Malik, he also introduced himself to the Station House Officer of the police station and produced all the documents but he was detained in a room, under the watchful eyes of the head constable.
All of his belongings were handed over to the constable, who locked them in a box and later left the police station, said Mr Malik.
After another hour, Malik called his friend, who helped him get all his belongings back and managed to get him released from police custody.
However, on release Malik found Rs50,000 – 10 notes of Rs5,000 – which were previously in his vehicle, missing. He brought the matter in the knowledge of the SHO, who expressed ignorance.
Later, again, he went to the checkpoint and inquired of police officials about the money but they too showed ignorance.
But an ASI at the checkpoint returned his national assembly visitor’s card to him, confessing that he had taken it.
Later, Malik lodged a complaint in the office of IGP to get a case registered against the staff at the checkpoint and police station, on charges of theft and habeas corpus, he said, adding that although the office received his application and brought it on book but no action was taken so far.