LAHORE: The man who was damaging a number of vehicles parked near the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town under `police patronage` turned out to be an office-bearer of the ruling PML-N.

TV cameras captured a man damaging a number of vehicles while the policemen present there literally allowed him to do so.

When some people captured him red-handed, the policemen intervened and let him go.

Later the man was identified as Gullu Butt alias Sheri-Lahore. He is an office-bearer of the PML-N and known in the area as a `police tout`.

He is also accused of extorting money from the shopkeepers in Faisal Town.

Some PML-N workers were also present during the oper-ation as if they had been assigned different duties.

During the operation the policemen also ransacked shops in the Khalid (International) Market in Model Town.

`Some policemen broke into my shop and took away beverages and other eatables, shopkeeper Navid Bajwa said.

He said although he did not open the shop after seeing police, they even did not spare the shops which were closed to `quench their thirst` in the scorching heat.

PML-N`s Pervaiz Malik admitted that Gullu Butt was a party activist but the party did not endorse his act.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif directed the IG to immediately arrest Gullu Butt and take action against him.-lMRANGABOL