Armed men robbed call centre in Islamabad owned by Chinese national, Details inside

ISLAMABAD: A daring daylight robbery shook Islamabad’s G-10/4 area on Friday when eight armed men, disguised as law enforcement officers, raided a call centre owned by a Chinese national.

The perpetrators, six of whom wore black uniforms, claimed to be officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). They made off with 130 laptops and furniture and abducted an employee, Zamad Khan, who was released after eight hours.

During the incident, the armed men handcuffed Zamad and told him that there was a complaint against the office. They loaded the laptops and chairs into their vehicles and drove around, asking people about the address of the Chinese owner of the call centre.

Moreover, the suspects also threatened Khan to arrange Rs15 million and gave him a phone number to contact them. Eventually, they looted Rs400,000 from him.

A case was registered at Ramna police station under various sections, including impersonation, wrongful confinement, and cheating.

In addition, police arrested 14 suspects and recovered some of the looted items. However, some officials classified the incident as a fraud case rather than dacoity or extortion.

In a separate incident, a Chinese national and his assistant narrowly escaped gunfire by armed riders near Tarnol police station.

The incident occurred on Jowbad Road, where three riders on a motorcycle intercepted their vehicle and opened fire. Fortunately, the two escaped unharmed. A case was registered under attempted robbery.

The incidents raise concerns about impersonation of law enforcement, daylight robberies, extortion, and the safety of foreign nationals and businesses in Islamabad. The police are investigating both incidents to ensure justice and prevent future occurrences.

According to the police, the call center robbery was a well-planned operation, and investigators are working to identify the masterminds behind it. The authorities have assured increased security measures to protect businesses and individuals in the area.