Journalist looted

Islamabad : Two gun-toting robbers snatched cash amount worth Rs800,000 from a senior journalist here on Wednesday in Sector I-8/1 when he reached the parking lot of his residential flat after withdrawing money from a nearby bank.

Ishtiaq Rao, working with Associated Press of Pakistan since 2007 as a journalist and covering the Prime Minister’s activities, visited Standard Chartered Bank in I-8 Markaz to withdraw money for private use. He got issued a bank draft, withdrew the amount of Rs800, 000 at left the bank around 11:30 am.

When he reached the parking lot of his residential flat in Street No 4, Sector I-8/1, two armed persons riding a motorbike intercepted him and asked to hand over the amount withdrawn from the bank. They snatched the amount from the journalist and sped.

Soon after the incident, he informed the police station which is around one kilometre away from his flat. A police team visited the scene and later asked him to come to the police station for registration of First Information Report. With the help of local people and police, CCTV footages have been obtained from the vicinity of the bank and other shops while further investigation is underway into the matter.

Meanwhile, a delegation of journalists including Ishtiaq Rao also met with the Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar and informed him about the incident. The Advisor assured the journalists full cooperation and committed to direct the police for immediate arrest of culprits.

The journalist community in Islamabad has also expressed reservations on this incident. National Press Club, Islamabad President Shakeel Anjum and its General Secretary Anwer Raza have demanded of the police to ensure arrest of perpetrators of this crime and provide justice to the journalist deprived from his hard-earned money.

The incident has created fear among the residents of the area who also complained non-effective policing measures in Sector I-8. The law and order situation in I-8 area continues to worsen and the police have no role to play, said a resident of Sector I-8 sector. He also demanded of the police to arrest the culprits and recover the looted amount.