By Saleem Mubarak
LAHORE: In a twist that defied all expectations, Faisalabad police apprehended a man who feigned to be an ISIS operative.
The accused, a sixty-year-old man, desperately resorted to this criminal act to cover his children’s school fees and electricity bills. The elderly man had been unemployed for several months and also needed to repay some borrowed money.
Panic and Investigation
The local business community was overwhelmed by fear when the businessman identified as Javed Iqbal, received a letter, purportedly dispatched by ISIS.
All police officials were also in a panic upon being informed of this threatening letter, forcing them to launch an immediate investigation to net the culprits.
Faisalabad police utilized both traditional and modern investigative resources to apprehend the criminal(s) behind this letter. However, to the utter surprise of everyone, it was revealed that the accused had no connection to ISIS; rather he was merely struggling to make ends meet.
The Threat Letter
Sources told Grand Lines Pk that an unidentified masked man dropped a threatening letter at the residence of Javed Iqbal of Weaver Colony on the night of Jan 15-16. The CCTV cameras installed at the residence of Iqbal recorded footage of the incident, which was submitted to the local police.
The letter, believed to be from the banned Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), demanded a ransom of Rs 1 million. It also set a deadline for ransom payment by 3 AM on January 17, strictly warning Iqbal of serious consequences if he dared to seek police help.
Following the letter, written in Urdu and containing numerous grammatical errors, the Ghulam Muhammadabad police registered a case under section 384 of PPC.
Faisalabad Police Investigation
The City Police Officer (CPO) Faisalabad, DIG Kamran Adil, sensing the gravity of the situation formed a team led by SP Lyallpur Division, Rehman Qadir, with ASP Rajinder Meghwar of the Gulberg Circle, and others to trace the criminal(s).
Talking to Grand Lines Pk, ASP Gulberg Circle, Rajender Meghwar, said that the police sprang into action and immediately collected the CCTV footage of the cameras installed in the area.
Besides, he said that human intelligence was also obtained to swiftly track down the criminals.
Financial Hardship
He said that during investigation, it was revealed that the accused was facing a financial crunch as he had been jobless for a couple months. He explained that the accused had been weaving traditional fabric at home with the help of a traditional machine–Khadi.
Due to financial constraints, he said, the accused had been unable to pay his electricity bills, forcing the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company to disconnect his supply. Similarly, he mentioned that his children were not attending school due to unpaid fees.
Human Desperation
A trader, requesting anonymity, said that by apprehending the accused, the police uncovered a story of human desperation hidden behind the facade of terror.
He said it is the responsibility of those in power to financially support the accused, who committed the crime due to his financial constraints.
He said sensing the surge in terrorism activities, the local business fraternity was terrified. The businessmen were under the impression that Iqbal had received the first letter, and more were likely to follow, like a snowball rolling downhill.
CPO’s Remarks
The CPO Faisalabad, talking to this scribe, said that efforts are underway to protect the lives and properties of the masses. He said that Faisalabad police have left no stone unturned to investigate the incident.
He lauded the relentless efforts of his subordinates, acknowledging their determination to get to the bottom of the case.
