GUJRAT: The Punjab government under reported pressure of a strong group of lawmakers within the ruling PML-N from Gujrat has transferred Gujrat District Police Officer Rai Ijaz Ahmed who has been asked to report to the Central Police Office in Lahore on Wednesday.

Well placed official sources told Dawn that a group of PML-N lawmakers from Gujrat had allegedly lodged a protest against the DPO with the competent authority asking the latter to get the said official transferred from Gujrat who did not accommodate the demands of the lawmakers.

The same group had earlier been active in getting the DPO transferred around two months ago following a bid by the law-enforcement authorities to include the name of a ruling party lawmaker into the list of the 4th schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act which was later on dropped by the authorities concerned.

However, sources said the DPO had survived the earlier attempts by the group to get him transferred.

Rai Ijaz relinquished his charge on Wednesday afternoon as the additional superintendent of police Kamran Mumtaz was given the officiating charge of the Gujrat DPO office.

During his posting in Gujrat, Ijaz had to his credit a good number of achievements in the fight against criminals.

Four murdered: Four people were murdered in three different incidents in the district on Wednesday.

Reports said that Farman Ali and Firdous of Shahpur village were going to their village from Gujrat on a bike when their rivals Faisal, Jabbar and their three accomplices riding a car fired at them near Padhana, killing the two instantly.

Daulat Nagar police have registered a murder case against assailants on the report of Rifaat, the son of deceased Farman.

The second incident also occurred in Chohdowal village, Daulat Nagar, where Muhammad Nawaz of Barnala allegedly crushed to death Naeem and injured his brother Irfan for chasing his car on their bike. Both brothers had asked Nawaz to return Rs1.2 million he owed to them.

Naeem died on the spot while his injured brother was admitted to a hospital in a critical condition.

Police have registered a case against the accused under section 302 of the PPC on the report of the father of the deceased.

The third incident occurred in Pindi Hashim village, Gulliana, where Nasir, Usman and their accomplices allegedly shot dead Mubashar Kiani.

Police have yet to register a case.

ARMS SEIZED: Police claim to have recovered a huge cache of arms being smuggled to Gujrat from the tribal area on Wednesday.

SP (Headquarters) Kamran Mumtaz said the police stopped a car in Madina Syedan area and recovered 39 pistols and 10 riffles from it during the checking and arrested driver Gull Basalat Khan.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2015

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