| Actually, they're just a bunch of crooks. |
Gulberg Police has arrested four Afghan commandos who came to Pakistan only to commit robberies and murders, said Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Aamir Zulfiqar Khan during a press conference at Police Lines on Tuesday. Khan said the men were probably trained in militant camps in Afghanistan and also took part in the war against American forces there. He said the detainees had admitted to over 100 crimes, which included robberies and murders, during interrogation. Giving details, the SSP said that two unidentified armed men entered Brig (r) Muhammad Saeed’s house in Cavalry Grounds on September 25. The men held Brig (r) Saeed and his wife up at gunpoint and asked about cash and jewellery. However, Brig (r) Saeed resisted the men, upon which they shot and mortally injured him. Mrs Saeed informed the police about the culprits’ appearance and identification marks. On the same night, unidentified men matching the description of Brig (r) Saaed’s murderers robbed Col Aftab’s house.
Khan immediately ordered a special operation at Afghan colonies, including Khan Colony and Makka Colony, and others situated around Gulberg, Garden Town and Cavalry. Apparently, the same men snatched a car from Gulshan-e-Ravi police precinct and used it in an attempt to rob a house. However, the security guard foiled their attempt and the men fled, badly injuring the security guard in the process. But, they used the same car to rob a house in the Naseerabad police precinct and fled leaving behind the car. On the same night, the culprits snatched another car. However, the SSP ordered all of the city’s exits sealed and cordoned off upon which Model Town Superintendent of Police Hussain Habib Imtiaz Gill issued special instructions.
On Tuesday morning 8:15am, Gulberg police station’s assistant superintendent of police and station house officer were manning a police picket at Centre Point when they saw the snatched car. They signalled the car to stop but its occupants fired upon them and escaped. The Gulberg ASP start chasing them and ordered the SHO to corner the car from the opposite side. The police were able to capture the men after a shootout. Khan identified the men as Bashar alias Bashri and Naseebullah Khan residents of Jalalabad in Afghanistan, Peshawar resident Namet Khan and Khan Colony resident Gull Khan. Police also confiscated Rs 150,000, gold jewellery, two stolen cars, Afghan and Japanese currency, three pistols, two Kalshnikovs, a shotgun and a large number of bullets from them. The SSP said the men had escaped from a Naseerabad police team after an encounter a few years ago. He said that Bashar was wanted for 72 heinous crimes, adding that the men had also admitted to murdering Brig (r) Saeed.