LAHORE – “Its been three days now and I am still waiting for registration of a first information report (FIR) at the Johar Town Police Station against unidentified robbers who looted a motorcycle, cellular phone and cash from me late at night on April 3,” citizen Talib Hussain told Pakistan Today on Tuesday.
“I have been visiting the Johar Town Police Station since the day I was robbed but policemen have not entertained my requests and not registered any case until today”, Talib lamented. According to details, Talib, a resident of P-Block Johar Town was returning home at around 3am on April 3 after visiting his relatives. He said that he was talking to his wife on a cellular phone and as he reached near Canal View Stop on Main Canal Road, two unidentified motorcyclists coming from behind took him hostage on gunpoint.
“The motorcyclists forced me to stop my bike along the roadside”, he added. Talib said that the two motorcyclists physically searched him and snatched Rs 1,300 and a cellular phone. He said that robbers also snatched the original papers of his motorcycle and ran away with the bike. “I was stunned and not able to move for around 20 minutes despite the fact that the robbers had fled,” Talib added.
He said that afterwards, a rickshaw dropped him at his house. Talib said that he and his cousin went to the Johar Town Police Station where they informed about the mishap to Moharrar Shah Rukh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Fayyaz. He said that Fayyaz immediately took them to the spot to verify the incident. Talib said that the policemen, after verifying the incident, returned to the police station along with them and asked them to file a written complaint.
“I filed the complaint on which Fayyaz asked us to visit the police station during the day to receive the copy of the FIR,” he said. “Since then, the policemen have made us a rolling stone and ask us to visit the police station regularly and on April 4, I again visited the police station on which I was told by the staff that no complaint had been filed yet”, Talib said.
“My cousin, who was helping me since day one, got infuriated of the situation and called SHO Attique Dogar”, the victim said. He said that they told the whole situation to the SHO after which he talked to the moharrar and issued directions. “The moharrar again asked us to file another complaint”, Talib said adding that they filed the complaint but the moharrar requested them to leave and come after a day to get the copy of the FIR.
“Next day, the policemen repeated the same story but did not register the case and it has been three days now since the robbery took place”, Talib said. On being contacted, Johar Town SHO Attique Dogar said that he had not received any such complaint. He said that no one called him about the mishap and he will register the case after verifying the mishap.
To a question, Saddar Police Division Superintendent Zeeshan Asghar said that he was not aware about the matter and could tell the details after checking with the police station concerned. To another query, he said that the situation is not like this in any other Saddar Division police station.
The Punjab and Lahore Police are getting huge funds to change the ‘thana culture’ but the situation is getting worse with every passing day. Not only Talib Hussain but dozens of people face such situations at various police stations on a daily basis but despite the fact, top cops of the Lahore and Punjab Police look satisfied and always found praising the performance of their subordinates.
