Two Domestic Workers Held After Theft at Raja Pervaiz Ashraf House

Two domestic employees have been taken into custody after household items went missing from the Jhelum residence of former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. The Raja Pervaiz Ashraf house theft case moved forward on Saturday, when police said preliminary inquiries pointed to the involvement of both workers.

The theft was reported at the former prime minister’s residence in Dhok Amb village, in the jurisdiction of Jatli Police Station in Jhelum district. Police personnel deployed for security at the house were present when the loss came to light, a detail that has drawn attention to how the items went missing.

What police say happened

According to the first information report, the former prime minister’s personal assistant arrived at the residence and found a domestic staff member absent. Police personnel deployed there told him the employee had been missing since the previous night.

A check of the rooms and other parts of the house then revealed missing items, including three air conditioners, two doors, three windows, a grass-cutting machine, carpets, three fans, decorative items and crockery. The personal assistant lodged a complaint with Jatli police, naming one domestic servant and asking that another employee also be questioned.

A Rawalpindi police spokesperson said preliminary investigations had indicated the involvement of both employees, after which the two domestic workers were taken into custody. The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of Assistant Superintendent of Police Gujar Khan.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf house theft: an update on the earlier report

This is a new development in a case first reported earlier on Saturday. Household items were first reported stolen from the former prime minister’s house earlier in the day, when the loss was valued in the first report at around Rs270,000.

Saturday’s later account describes goods worth millions of rupees, and it adds items and detail not in the first report, including a third window, three fans and the claim that items went missing on different occasions during the employees’ work at the house. Readers should note that the two accounts differ on value, and the case now rests on what police can prove in court.

The spokesperson said all aspects of the case were being examined. He said the suspects would be challaned and produced before a court on the basis of evidence, so that punishment could follow in line with the law.

Why the police deployment angle matters

The case has drawn notice because police personnel were deployed at the residence for security. Goods going missing from a guarded house raise questions about supervision, access and record-keeping, even before any court finding.

Police have not said whether any deployed personnel face action. For now, the focus of the investigation, on the police account, is the two domestic employees and the pattern of items taken over time.

The case also sits within a wider Punjab picture of property and public-order news. Lahore Cantt railway station has a new computerised signalling system after trials, while Punjab’s college teaching intern merit list has been released. Pakistan Railways has declared a three-month emergency after more than 55 accidents this year.

What happens next

The next formal step will be the production of the suspects before a court, on the basis of evidence gathered by investigators. Until then, the two employees remain in custody as suspects, not as convicted persons, and the court will test the police case.

The investigation under ASP Gujar Khan will also need to settle the value of the missing goods, since the first and later accounts differ. That figure matters for the charges and for any recovery of items.

Frequently asked questions

Who has been taken into custody?

Two domestic employees who worked at the residence have been taken into custody in connection with the theft.

Where is the house?

The residence is in Dhok Amb village, in the jurisdiction of Jatli Police Station in Jhelum district.

What items went missing?

Police listed air conditioners, doors, windows, a grass-cutting machine, carpets, fans, decorative items and crockery, among other household belongings.

What happens next?

Police say the suspects will be challaned and produced before a court on the basis of evidence.

Source: The Express Tribune.