KARACHI: The NAB chairman has taken notice of Monday's incident of an attack upon the NAB Sukkur team in Jacobabad during a raid at the house of Pakistan People's Party leader Aijaz Jakhrani and showed his displeasure upon the role of Jacobabad Police, especially of SSP Jacobabad for his ‘non-cooperation’ on the issue. But the Sindh Police have another story to tell of the same incident.
According to the official press release of NAB, the chairman NAB has taken a serious notice of the attack by a violent mob on the NAB team during search and execution of arrest warrants of accused Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, former federal minister in Jacobabad, Sindh, on Monday (June 28, 2021) and ordered Director General, NAB, to conduct an inquiry in this regard covering all aspects of the incident as per law.
As per the NAB’s official announcement, the bureau has authorized an investigation against officers and officials of the Education Works Department, Jacobabad, and others on the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan on the allegations of embezzlement of funds in Sindh Education Reforms Programme, District Jacobabad, Sindh.
In the subject investigation, arrest warrants of accused Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, former federal minister, were issued by the competent authority as per law and in order to execute the warrants of arrest, the NAB Sukkur team planned to conduct a search with the help of lady police constable and officers of NAB Sukkur of the house of accused Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani.
However, huge resistance has been faced by the NAB team at the house of Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani. A large violent mob was organized at the front gate of the house of Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, former federal minister, during the search. In order to clear the violent mob, the NAB Sukkur team suffered injuries as a result of attacks by the violent mob besides Black Vigo GPA-919, a Hiace van and one police mobile has been damaged.
The NAB press release added that District Police, Jacobabad, and SSP Jacobabad did not cooperate and provide any help to the NAB team at the spot for conduct of search as per law upon the request made by the NAB Sukkur. On the other hand, on June 29, 2021, Pakistan People's Party workers gathered outside the home of Federal Minister and area Member of National Assembly Muhammad Mian Soomro and chanted sologans against Soomro, NAB and NAB chairman.
Till the filing of the story, no case of Monday’s incident was registered.
There was also no official word by the Sindh Police; this reporter tried his best to get the official version of Sindh Police but all officers avoided to respond.
Replying to the query of this reporter, NAB Spokesman Asim Ali Nawazish said that police’s claim was totally wrong and baseless and the fact was that NAB had first informed the police station, Civil Lines, Jacobabad. After no response, the NAB subsequently brought the matter into the notice of SSP Jacobabad for help in this regard. But inspite of huge resistance and attack of a violent mob on the NAB team and damages, no police assistance was provided to NAB team in performance of their official duty as per law. Due to this reason, the NAB team has suffered injuries besides damage to some vehicles. It is important to note here that this incident took place in the heart of the city of Jacobabad and the incident was known to the whole city of Jacobabad except City Police Station, Jacobabad, and SSP Jacobabad.
A senior police officer of the Sukkur Range, on condition of not being named, informed The News that the NAB Sukkur team, headed by Deputy Director Choudri Shahzad, went to the house of Aijaz Jakhrani for his arrest without properly specifying and informing the local police and SSP Jacobabad Shumail Riaz Malik.
The NAB Sukkur team raided the house of Jakhrani along with two police mobiles which were already given to the NAB Sukkur for their security and routine work. After the said incident of attack upon the NAB team by a mob and departure of NAB team from the scene of incident, an official of NAB Sukkur called at the number of SSP Jacobabad and gave him the number of the head of NAB raiding team for his support, added the same source.
The same source added that despite calling the SSP Jacobabad by the head of the NAB team many times, the police official did not pick the phone.
