MULTAN, Jan 13: An excise inspector has sought government's protection "against continuous life threats" being hurled at him by some influential people of his hometown, Muzaffargarh.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Inspector Jalilur Rehman Malik alleged that the head of the Khangarh chapter of the ruling PML, Ibad Dogar, and a senior police officer belonging to the area had been threatening him with dire consequences since he had successfully launched campaign against 'corruption' of a former director of his department.

He claimed that he had been attacked several times by their men at the behest of former excise director. He said the assailants were a part of the land mafia and 'sectarian terrorist network' in Muzaffargarh. He gave numbers of FIRs previously registered with a couple of Muzaffargarh police stations against the accused he nominated as assailants in his case.

The inspector said the government should have resigned if it could not protect its officials only due to local political expediency. Inspector Malik is also the secretary of Punjab Assistant Excise and Taxation Officers and Inspectors Association.

CRIMINAL'S GANG: Police claimed on Thursday to have unearthed an inter-district gang of motorcycle thieves and recovered 24 two-wheelers from the possession of its members.

Multan DPO Sikander Hayat said at a press conference on Thursday the police could arrest three of the 10 members of the gang, including ring leader Abdul Hameed Khokhar alias Meeda of Cha Nihaleywala, Multan.

The other arrested members of the gang are Zafarullah Khattak and Lateef Kanial of Mianwali. The other members of the gang reportedly belong to Khanewal, Jhang, Dera Ismail Khan, Sargodha, and Mirpur Khas (Azad Kashmir).

The DPO said the gangsters told police that they used to keep for several days the stolen motorcycles at the houses they had hired. Later, they sold the vehicle on fake documents in various districts of the Punjab, the NWFP and Azad Kashmir.

The DPO claimed that the arrested outlaws had confessed to stealing 42 motorcycles, while police had recovered 24 of them from their possession. He said efforts were being made to recover the remaining 18 two-wheelers as well.