Adil Najam
In what is being described as the biggest bank robbery in Pakistan’s history, more than Rs. 500 Million was looted from a Karachi branch of the Allied Bank. Details are still trickling in and are still sketchy. But it is clear that at least part of this was an inside job. Just how ‘inside’ it was, remains to be determined.
The story has all the elements of thrill, drama, intrigue, and uncertainty that the Pakistan news media thrives on. And thriving it is with this story.
Here are some of the details from an early report in Dawn:
Pakistani and foreign currency worth more than Rs500 million was looted from a private bank branch near I.I. Chundrigar Road on Sunday. Reports suggest that it is the biggest bank robbery in the history of Pakistan. Private security guards hired the bank, are suspected of being involved in the robbery. However, police have recovered some of the looted foreign currency from the house of a police officer who is also under suspicion of involvement in the robbery.
According to police sources, the license of the private security company has already been canceled whose security guards are suspected of being involved in the bank robbery. Police have arrested two accused and further investigation is in progress. It is said that around 80,000 private security guards are hired by various institutions including banks in Pakistan without their proper registration with police.
Here is a video report from Dunya TV:
The report in The News is more juicy and with some more detail:
The biggest robbery of the country’s history of Rs520 million has been carried out in the metropolitan city of Karachi by breaking into the lockers of a private bank. The looted money comprises local and foreign currencies. A bag containing 40,000 British pounds has been recovered from a police official’s house. The family members of the police official had left the bag home which contained foreign currency.
According to police, the bank guards are involved in the bank robbery while raids are being carried out to arrest the other robbers. Police has also taken into custody two bank guards and recovered Rs5 million. The police have claimed to have learned about the whereabouts of the guard mainly involved in the robbery. He has been identified as Shahid Mehmood son of Abdul Majeed, holding NIC issued in Faisalabad. Police have announced a reward of Rs2 million for information leading to the capture of the guard.
Crime, of course, has long been rampant. But recently, bank robberies in Karachi (including ATM robberies) has been on the increase. Here, for example, is footage of another bank robbery in Karachi in April this year:
CONGRATULATIONS TO ATP. I just saw the news that it was judged the Top Pakistani blog again. Well Done Adil Najam and Owais Mughal.
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “it is bad.”
– “damn i wish i was a dakeet 30 cororrrrr”
– “ye dats terrible”
– “Can’t wait for the MOVIE! :-)”
– “500million. I never knew they’d store that kind of money in the banks. Jeez, that’s horrible to begin with and down right scary.”
– “it was all forieng currency ”
– “How do I become a security guard?”
– “There are many by politicans”
– “well … banks loot the public … its quita sign that this has started … ppl r pissed and they r doin somethin abt it … this isnt a small news … go robbers … just dont kill anyone ;) … we all need somethin big happenin somethin the public is doin other than the agencies …”
Why are we surprised? The real crooks of Pakistan were packing up their bags and departing.
As one of American friend says, it is a good thing.
My fellow Pakistanis living back home, start putting your cash and valuables under the mattresses! More bank looting is on the way…
The policeman did what his biraadri is best at.The difference is in the currency.Pounds this time!
When people get poor they are easily convinced in carrying out robberies, suicide attacks and convinced by religious leaders. A frustrated mind is easy to manipulate as it is a known fact. We as a nation have to speak against these elements to free ourselves from corruption and especially extremism.