TOBA TEK SINGH: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday arrested the ringleader of a gang which was involved in drug smuggling to Saudi Arabia.

According to FIA, it’s Faisalabad team raided the residence of suspect Israrullah at Mochi Gate, Lahore, and arrested him.

Israrullah and his gang members had allegedly sent five members of a family to Saudi Arabia free of cost to perform Umrah.

The FIA said the suspect deceived the victims by offering them a free Umrah trip.

“As part of the scheme, the suspect handed over a bag to the family to be transported to Saudi Arabia. The bag contained hidden narcotics -- crystal meth/ice. Upon inspection, the Saudi authorities found the drugs, leading to the arrest of the entire family of the five,” it said.

He had sent five family members for Umrah with drugs hidden in their luggage

It said raids were being conducted to arrest other individuals involved in the crime.

MAIDS HELD: Faisalabad police arrested two women in Lahore who had been employed as maids in a house and later fled after stealing 40 tolas of gold in 2023.

According to the FIR lodged by house owner Zahid Habib Gujjar of Faisal Town, both women disappeared just two days after being hired, taking the jewellery with them.

A police spokesperson claimed that 30 tolas of gold had been recovered from their possession.

WORKSHOP: A one-month workshop on finance administration, management and e-governance by the Professional Training and Skill Development Centre of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), concluded on Saturday.

The training, mandatory for the promotion of Punjab Agriculture Department officers, was attended by officials and experts. Registrar Umar Saeed Qadri, Director of Professional Training and Skill Development Center Dr Waqas Wakil, and Dr Zahid Abbas addressed the participants and distributed certificates.

Dr Waqas Wakil said the centre offers 250 short courses focusing on agriculture, livestock, and rural development, having trained 11,000 people so far.

FRAUD CASE: The Civil Lines police in Faisalabad registered a fraud case against two men for impersonating ISI officials.

According to the FIR lodged by textile mill owner Rao Saifur Rehman, suspects Haider Ali and Fida Hussain called him, claiming to be ISI personnel and arranging a meeting with an alleged army general at Chenab Club. There, they introduced Abdul Rashid Abid as the general’s brother and pressured him to withdraw a petition in the Lahore High Court regarding a land dispute.

He alleged that five of his rivals later entered the room, held him hostage at gunpoint and forced him to withdraw the case. However, he managed to escape. Police are investigating.

INJURED: A lawyer was shot and injured in his law chamber at Jinnah Building, Faisalabad district courts, on Saturday.

Lawyer Shahid Hafeez Dogar was shifted to DHQ Hospital. In his FIR, registered by Civil Lines police under Section 324 of the PPC, he stated that an unidentified assailant fired at him and fled.

ROBBERY: Around 15 dacoits looted cash, rice and other valuables worth over Rs30 million from a rice mill in Athara Hazari, Jhang, on Friday night.

According to an FIR lodged by mill owner Haji Muhammad Akram Khokhar, masked men forced their way into the mill, held employees hostage, tortured them, and made off with a tractor-trolley, 1,200 sacks of rice and paddy, and other valuables.

A police spokesperson later claimed the dacoits had been arrested and the looted cash and goods recovered.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2025