LAHORE: A man on Friday sought the help of the Inspector General of Punjab Police in regard to a First Information Report (FIR) filed against him and his dead father in the Omar Kot police station, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The FIR states that Shaukat Hussain, a resident of Omar Kot, had stolen furniture from the Union Council’s (UC) office there. In addition, the FIR also names Hussain’s father Ghulam Sarwar – who has been dead for five years – as an accomplice.
In his defence, Hussain said that the case against him was personally motivated by Omar Kot UC Secretary Muhammad Ali, who had used his contacts in the police “to bring a bad name to his family”.
Hussain added that he has been living in the vicinity of the Union Council Office for over 20 years. He also said the UC office is largely dysfunctional.
“Police and the local powerful people, especially Omar Kot UC Secretary Muhammad Ali, have turned my life into a living hell and I have to face serious threats from them,” said Hussain, adding that “my father died five years ago yet the police booked him in this false case.” “They disgraced my dead father,” he added.
[aesop_image img=”https://cache.pakistantoday.com.pk/c8e4e454-c9b3-443d-bbcc-67f92b1100db.jpg” align=”center” lightbox=”on” caption=”Death certificate of the accused’s father” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]
Shaukat Hussain said Omar Kot Police raided his house and harassed his family, “Police entered into my house without warrants, thrashed my daughter and left my brother injured,” he said.
The FIR No. 122/19, registered by Omar Kot police on June 4, 2019, on the complaint of Omar Kot UC Secretary Muhammad Ali, nominates Shaukat Hussain and his father Ghulam Sarwar under Section 380 (Theft) and 448 (House trespassing) of Pakistan Penal Code, 1860.
“There is absolutely nothing worth looting in the UC office. It has been lying vacant for a long time and no one ever visits it,” said Shaukat, adding, “It’s my appeal to IGP and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to look into this matter.”
When contacted, Investigation Officer Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ghulam Shabbir denied Shabbir’s claim that the FIR was lodged against Ghulam Sarwar, the father of the accused, saying that “Only Shaukat Hussain who was nominated in the FIR”.
“I’m not sure who is really involved in this matter as the suspect is on interim bail and he never joined the investigation,” said the IO.
On the other hand, UC Secretary Muhammad Ali said Shaukat Hussain stole from and vandalized the UC office for which a case was registered against him. “Shaukat stole precious furniture and other things from there and misused the public office,” he said, adding that there was no personal grudge involved.