Pak launches probe into theft of arms seized in Lal Masjid op

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have launched a probe into the reported theft of a large cache of weapons seized during last year's operation at Lal Masjid from a heavily guarded police station here.

The cache of arms, including rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank mines and explosives, was reported missing from the Aabpara police station, located a short distance from the Lal Masjid in the heart of Islamabad.

Soon after the theft was reported, interior ministry chief Rehman Malik ordered the suspension of Senior Superintendent of Police Ahmad Latif and Superintendent of Police Shahzad Asif, a newspaper said on Monday.

He also ordered the registration of a case against SHO Inspector Naeem Iqbal and 14 other police personnel of the Aabpara police station, on charges of criminal breach of trust, theft and burglary, it said.

The 14 policemen were suspended and arrested. While the assault rifles, rocket launchers, anti-tank mines, grenades and a large quantity of bullets were found missing, nothing else seized by the police, including liquor bottles and jewellery was stolen.

No locks were broken during the incident and it is believed that duplicate keys might have been used to open the armoury located in the basement of the police station, the paper quoted a source close to the police as saying.

Over 100 people were killed when army commandos stormed the Lal Masjid in July last year after a prolonged standoff with Islamic radicals and militants holed up in the mosque and a nearby seminary.