Matter put into cold storage

KARACHI - The stealing of 1,750 kg high quality hashish from Sindh Excise & Taxation Department (SE&TD) is still a mystery despite the passage of three weeks. So far neither an FIR has been registered nor the ministry has initiated a probe, The Nation learnt on Friday. A well-placed source on condition of anonymity told The Nation that matter of stolen hashish has been put into cold storage, as so far no seriousness has been shown by the higher authorities of the SE&TD as well as the ministry concerned to probe the matter. The source disclosed that at least 1750 kg of high quality Hashish worthily nearer ten million rupees was stolen around a month ago from store room (mall kana) of the excise department located in very sensitive area, wherein buildings of several ministries, agencies were located. The storeroom was located within the jurisdiction of Artillery Police Station. However, the stolen case was disclosed around three weeks ago, but due to negligence of the ministry and high-ups, the police were not bothered to probe inquiry. The stolen chars was seized by a special team of (SE&TD) anti-narcotics branch headed by Assistant Excise and Taxation Officer, Ejaz Baloch around two years ago while conducting raid on a vehicle on Hub River Road, the vehicle which was carrying a big quantity of hashish was coming from Quetta to Karachi. The raiding team had also arrested the driver named Abdul Ghaffar Shahwani, who has been punished for 26 years of imprisonment by the trail court through conducting legal proceedings. The source revealed that the hashish was stolen from store room after the said team that seized such a big consignment, was transferred from Anti Narcotics branch south to Professional Tax branch around four months ago. According to the reliable source, some twenty days ago, IO Ejaz Baloch received a telephonic call at late hours from In-chare of store room AETO Waseem Khan, who informed him that the hashish recovered by him was stolen by some unknown people. Following receiving the call, Ejaz reached there wherein he found that the key-lock that was set by him was found broken, however another key-lock that was set by AETO Waseem Khan in the same door was found in accurate shape, that proved that the thief who stolen the hashish had been provided its key. According to the rule of the said department the Incharge of store room also set his own key-lock with the IOs key-lock, but there was dubbed on the In-charge and AETO store room that why his key-lock was not broken as the IOs key lock was found damaged. Interestingly a big quantity of others intoxicating items worthily millions of rupees were not stolen from the same Mall Kana, it showed that the stolen of particular item was a well-planned strategy. The IO Ejaz Baloch who denied commenting on the issue, but the source confirmed that when he approached to the higher ups to complain over stolen of the hashish, he was strictly ordered to remain quiet and not to discuss the matter to anyone particularly to the media, as the higher officials have been trying to defuse the issue. The source also confirmed that the provincial minister for Excise and Taxation Department, provincial secretary and director were informed about the happening, but they kept the matter into cold storage intentionally, and despite receiving several requests from the said IO to conduct inquiry of the matter, the case of the stolen hashish was not registered nor an probe was initiated. The convicted person from whom the hashish was recovered can claim to be innocent as the recovered hashish was stolen from the store of department. The source further disclosed that around eight to ten personnel are deployed to protect the store room, but only one watch man is deputed at night hours, and he used to be drunk at late hours and used to be unconscious after drink alcoholic.