‘Don’t ask about Taseer but we did bust a few gangs’

Investigations DIG Amir Ali Malik has confessed that Lahore Police Investigation Wing has not managed any major breakthrough in the kidnapping cases of Shahbaz Taseer and an American national Dr Warren Weinstein. He was addressing a press conference at Qila Gujjar Singh Investigations Wing on Wednesday.
During the briefing, DIG claimed that they had found major clues in both cases during the course of investigations, however they had not arrested any person on suspicion of involvement in kidnapping yet.
The DIG, flanked by Investigations SSP Abdul Razzaq Cheema and CIA SP Umer Virk, said that he was not sure if Taseer was kidnapped for ransom or not because his family had not received a ransom call yet. He said that they were in contact with Taseer’s family and they had not provided any information to them yet.
Answering a question, DIG said the police would extend the scope of investigations after they receive NADRA data. He said that investigations were underway but he could not share any information. The DIG also claimed that CIA had arrested 47 accused men, including eight proclaimed offenders and nine history-sheeters of four gangs involved in robberies. The police have also claimed to recover valuables worth Rs 3.2 millions from the arrested men.
The arrested gangs were identified as Khurram Shahbaz alias Bhado Shah Gang, Waheed alias Kala Butt Gang, Iqbal Hassan alias Sohni Dacoit Gang and Imran Baig Dacoit Gang.
DIG said that during the preliminary interrogations, criminals had confessed killing the owner of a Super Store named Muhammad Jamil located at Nishtar Colony and Hakeem Sheikh Muhammad Idrees.
The DIG told the media that they had seized one car, 10 motorbikes, one computer, one LCD, four televisions, two generators, 54 mobile phones and cash Rs 32 lakhs. He also said that 29 30-bore pistols and 150 bullets were also seized from them. He said that 120 cases were traced against the arrested men. He said that Waheed Butt used to loot citizens by disguising himself in beauty parlors. CCPO Lahore announced cash prizes and commendatory certificates for the police raiding team.