LAHORE : Following a similar case reported in Ichhra’sjewellery market, an alleged multimillion-rupee fraud has now surfaced in Lahore’s busy Hall Road market, leaving dozens of traders fearing massive financial losses.
Police said two men identified as Subhan and Saddam had been operating a shop dealing in solar panels and inverters in the market. The suspects allegedly collected large sums of money from shopkeepers and customers on the pretext of supplying solar equipment.
According to police officials, the two shopkeepers have been missing for the past three days after locking their outlets and disappearing without notice. Affected traders have submitted formal applications at the Qila Gujjar Singh police station, where complaints involving fraud worth at least Rs200 million have so far been received. Members of the trader community, however, claim the actual scale of the scam could be far larger, estimating losses ranging between Rs1.5 billion and Rs2 billion, as payments were allegedly taken from multiple dealers and buyers across the market.
Police said an initial inquiry had been launched to verify the complaints and gather evidence. “After completing preliminary verification, a formal case will be registered and efforts will be made to trace and arrest the suspects,” an official said. The incident has once again raised concerns about growing financial frauds in commercial hubs of the provincial capital and the lack of effective oversight mechanisms to protect traders and consumers.
