SIALKOT, April 19: Thousands of Double Shah’s clients have built up their pressure on ruling party legislators and nazims to ensure his early release and return of their deposited amount.

A number of clients have been heard saying that they will not cast votes in favour of local politicians in the upcoming general elections if they fell down on getting their money retrieved.

They have also advised political stalwarts to use their influence and hold negotiations with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) into the bargain.

“We would not welcome those politicians who would make no effort for our just cause”, said Hamidullah, one of Shah’s client.

On the other hand, a ruling party MPA requesting anonymity said that the present state of affairs had landed him and others in trouble. “Now our political survival seems to be at stake and only an amicable solution could ride us out of the storm”, he said.

It is also learnt that negotiations between some legislators and NAB officials have also been held for the release of amounts seized during the operation against the accused whose network spread over several districts would double deposits in 70 days.

Sources said that NAB officials had provided claim forms to all main police stations in Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat and Gujranwala districts, advising the Double Shah’s clients to submit their claims immediately. But sub-agents of the Double Shah were advising their clients that not to submit claims as it would land them in further trouble.

Some police officials claimed that a large number of the affected people had receiving the prescribed claim forms directly or indirectly. As of now only a few people had submitted claims, they said.

According to a survey conducted by this correspondent only some 100 people have so far filed their claims in Ghakkhar and Wazirabad police stations.

They are reluctant to submit their claims to the NAB and police to steer clear of any complication. They demand that a strategy should be evolved to return their money in Wazirabad instead of police stations or the NAB office in Lahore.

Some people complained that police officials humiliated them at police stations when they asked them for the claim forms.

Reports said that Kashmir Committee chairman Chaudhry Hamid Nasir Chattha, his son and district nazim Fiaz Ahmad Chattha, tehsil nazim Chaudhry Nawazish Ali Cheema and Double Shah’s brother Syed Ziaul Hassan met NAB deputy director Syed Hussain Shah and senior police officers in the Circuit House. The politicians suggested the officials that depositors’ money should be returned to the affected people in Wazirabad under the supervision of NAB, police and elected representatives. But nothing has so far been finalized.

Meanwhile, two clients of the Double Shah died due to cardiac arrest in Sialkot district.

Muhammad Iqbal had deposited Rs600,000 for getting his amount doubled for the marriage of his two daughters. The deceased was the resident of Jethikey village, Sambrial.

Widow Bashiran Bibi of Baddokey Cheema village, Daska, had also deposited hundreds of thousands of rupees with the Double Shah.

Reports are that several clients, including women, have suffered heart attacks in Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal and Gujranwala districts.