Islamabad : A violent incident at a Guest House in the upscale F-7 sector of the federal capital has raised concerns over law and order, after unidentified assailants allegedly tied up and tortured a Chinese businessman before fleeing with cash and other valuables.
The incident has also sparked criticism of Islamabad Police’s crime control strategy under Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations), with questions reportedly being raised over the effectiveness of policing and command in the city.
Station House Officer (SHO) Kohsar launched an immediate investigation and arrested the foreign owner of the guest house.
Police also recovered the vehicle allegedly used in the incident.
According to the SHO, investigators have traced the suspects involved and arrests are expected soon.
Initial findings suggest that the case may not be a straightforward robbery, but rather linked to a financial dispute involving monetary transactions between the parties.
Three armed robbers stormed a guest house in Islamabad’s upscale F-7 sector and allegedly subjected three Chinese nationals to severe torture before fleeing with cash, mobile phones and other valuables, police said.
According to officials, the incident occurred in the jurisdiction of Kohsar Police Station, where a case has been registered under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including robbery and assault.
Police have launched a search operation to trace and arrest the suspects.
Authorities, however, have taken the guest house owner into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
In a written complaint submitted to police, one of the Chinese businessmen stated that he has been engaged in the import-export business since 2023 and frequently travels to Pakistan for commercial purposes.
The complainant told investigators that at around 3am on the night of the incident, three armed men forced their way into the room where the Chinese nationals were staying.
The suspects allegedly woke them at gunpoint, subjected them to physical torture, tied them up with ropes, and looted cash, mobile phones and other valuable belongings before escaping.
Senior police officials said strict departmental action would be taken against officers responsible for providing security to Chinese nationals residing in the capital.
The officials noted that only days earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed law enforcement agencies to ensure stringent security arrangements for Chinese citizens living and working in Pakistan, but those instructions were allegedly ignored in this case.
