THATTA: Highwaymen robbed an Omni franchise operator of Rs2.75 million he had drawn from a private bank`s Sujawal branch on Thursday. They shot and wounded the driver of the car in which the money, meant for distribution among the listed recipients of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), was being transported.

According to witnesses and the Mirpur Bathoro police, the franchise operator, Hassan Abbas Khwaja, drew Rs2.75 million from UBL`s Sujawal branch and was returning to Mirpur Bathoro when the highwaymen riding a car overtook and blocked his car`s way. Mr Khwaja`s driver, Jameel Kalantri, tried to dodge them but one of the highwaymen shot him to foil his attempt to speed away.

The highwaymen then held the two victims at gunpoint, snatched the money and drove away in their car.

Despite profusely bleeding, Mr Kalantri managed to drive to Mirpur Bathoro before he fell unconscious. He was rushed to Hyderabad for treatment of his serious wounds. Mr Khwaja said the highwaymen were wearing masks while robbing them of the money.

Soon after the incident, traders and shopkeepers pulled down the shutters and vendors suspended their business.

They joined in a protest rally held by residents of Mirpur Bathoro and Sujawal. The protesters marched up to the nearby section of Hyderabad-Sujawal Road where they held a sit-in to demand an immediate arrest of the highwaymen.

A police contingent led by Sujawal SSP Jan Muhammad Birahmani rushed to the scene and persuaded the protesters to clear the road.

An FIR of the incident was registered at the Mirpur Bathoro police station and a hunt for the criminals was launched.