On the orders of Interior Adviser Rehman Malik on Sunday, 10 police officials were arrested over the theft of a large cache of weapons from the Aabpara police station store.Sources said Malik took a serious note of the weapons theft from the police station, which were seized by security forces during 'Operation Silence' at Lal Masjid in July last year and stocked in the Aabpara police station's heavily-guarded store. A private TV channel said the weapons had been stolen under 'mysterious' circumstances. It said all accused were suspended and later arrested.
The interior adviser also ordered the registration of a case against the Aabpara station house officer and 14 other officials on charges of criminal breach of trust, according to the channel. Those who were arrested include Aabpara Police Station Inspector Naeem Iqbal, four ASIs, one head constable and four constables, the police sources said.
The spokesman for the Interior Ministry said Aabpara ASP Dr Shehzad Asim, SSP Captain Ahmed Latif and the Aabpara superintendent of police had also been suspended. Headquarters SP Mir Waiz has been assigned as acting Islamabad SSP, the sources said.
They said over 100 assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons were found missing from the police station's store.
Malik had also ordered the termination of service of 11 policemen, including Inspector Naeem Iqbal, the sources said.