Staff Reporter
Police arrested seven men who were carrying a large cache of weapons outside the district and sessions court next to Baba Ground here in the provincial metropolis on Tuesday.
Security head Mubashir Awan said that five guns were seized from the men, including Kalashnikovs. More than a thousand bullets and 15 magazines were also recovered, he added.
However, a spokesperson for the Lahore police later said in a statement that five rifles, five pistols and 700 bullets were recovered from the seven men identified as Shehroz, Imran, Ehsanullah, Bilal, Faisal, Riaz, and one other.
He added that the suspects were shifted to the Islampura police station for registration of a case against them.
Police officials said an investigation was underway to ascertain why the armed men were present outside the court.
Meanwhile, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar congratulated the security chief and his team for apprehending the men. He also announced action against the suspects and awards for the security team, according to the
statement.
“Kalashnikov culture will be ended in Lahore. Nobody is allowed to go around displaying weapons. The writ of the state must be established,” the CCPO said.
“Protecting the lives and livelihoods of citizens is the police’s responsibility and we will fulfil it,” he added.
There have been several incidents of shootings inside courtrooms in Lahore and elsewhere during the last year.A large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered outside the main gate of the sessions court in Lahore.
According to the police, seven people were found carrying the arms and ammunition and subsequently, were taken into custody. They were shifted to Islampura police station where they will be quizzed.
According to the court’s security in-charge, Kalashnikovs, five pistols, over 1,200 bullets, and 15 handgun magazines were seized from their possession. The police have informed the sessions judge about the incident. Two of the suspects were
identified as Imran and Riaz.
