No police action despite robbers looting 50 people.

CHINIOT -- The law and order situation in the Chiniot area is deteriorating as 400 of the region's 1,200 police officials are posted at flour distribution stations.

Six to seven dacoits picketed the canal bridge at Pangu Mor Colony on the Jhang-Chiniot Road late on Tuesday and held captive passersby after plundering their valuables.

One of the robbery victims, Muhammad Amir, told reporters on Wednesday that he owns a tailor business in Pangu Mor. He was returning from Faisalabad when he was attacked by the gang at the canal bridge at 11:30pm. They took Rs18,300 from him before tying him up with ropes and forcing him to sit alongside 25-30 other people who all had their wrists bound. The gang continued the looting spree for three hours and fled.

The robbery victims called the police, who responded to the crime scene late. The police, he alleged, instead of preserving the crime scene and getting applications from them about their losses, asked all of them to go. When their cases were not registered, the victims staged a demonstration against the police outside the press club.

Dozens of agitating protestors claimed that the dacoits looted Rs700,000 and valuables from 50 people.

Anwar Wains, another protester from Wallah Rai village, said the police were not taking any action against the robbers. He demanded that the caretaker chief minister take notice of their appeal and order registration of the case.

A spokesperson for the district police refused to comment on the canal bridge incident. He, however, said that 400 police officials were deployed on atta distribution points for maintaining order there; moreover, 50 wardens, out of 100, were also deployed at these...