Farooqabad Tragedy: Man Dies After Wife, Daughter Detained Over Rs 50k Loan

*Rs 256 Billion Waived for Rich, Poor Man Dies for Rs 50,000*

*Microfinance Horror in Sheikhupura: Rs 50k Loan Claims Life*

FAROOQABAD MICROFINANCE HORROR: MOTHER SAYS DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND GRANDDAUGHTER ABDUCTED OVER RS 50,000, SON DIES BY SUICIDE-5 BOOKED

By Asad Kharal

LAHORE/FAROOQABAD/ SHEIKHUPURA : Just 55 kilometres from Lahore – a 40-minute drive – an extremely tragic incident in Farooqabad, Sheikhupura has exposed the brutal face of microfinance recovery and the hollow claims of good governance in Pakistan’s largest province.

A new and more disturbing version has emerged. According to the mother of the deceased, her daughter-in-law *Amina Bibi* and her granddaughter were allegedly abducted by staff of a private microfinance bank over a delayed payment of a Rs 50,000 loan, forcing her son *Akhtar* to commit suicide.

In her complaint to police, the mother stated:

> “Due to delay in loan repayment, the staff of a private microfinance bank abducted my daughter-in-law and granddaughter and locked them in a room. My deceased son pleaded for their release. When they refused to release them, my son, out of helplessness and despair for not being able to free his wife and daughter from the clutches of the accused, consumed pills and ended his life.”

*FIR REGISTERED ON MOTHER’S COMPLAINT*

On the complaint of the deceased’s mother, City Police Station Farooqabad has registered a case against five accused under charges of abduction, wrongful confinement and abetment to suicide.

Police confirmed:

> “The city police station took action as soon as it received the report and arrested the employees allegedly involved. Police said legal proceedings against the suspects had begun.”

Sources confirm the two main accused identified as *”Hasnain”* and *”Sadia”* are in custody, while raids are underway for the remaining three accused.

Earlier, police had reported:

> “A labourer died after consuming poison in front of a microfinance bank in Sheikhupura, following a dispute over an unpaid loan instalment… bank staff allegedly took a woman from her home and kept her at their office after she failed to pay an instalment on a Rs50,000 loan.”

Akhtar was rushed to THQ Hospital Farooqabad and later referred to DHQ Sheikhupura where he died. Post-mortem has been completed.

*MOTHER APPEALS TO CM PUNJAB AND CHIEF JUSTICE LAHORE HIGH COURT*

The complainant mother has appealed to Chief Minister Punjab and Chief Justice Lahore High Court for justice.

*THE NATIONAL CONTRAST – RS 256 BILLION FOR THE RICH, DEATH FOR THE POOR*

The incident has sparked national outrage as official records show elite impunity.

State Bank record submitted before the Supreme Court reveals:

> “The State Bank informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that commercial banks had written off loans of up to Rs256 billion of more than 669,000 people over a period of about 40 years.”

The apex court questioned:

> “The court questioned the central bank’s authority and jurisdiction to write off loans worth Rs256 billion between 1971 and 2009.”

Investigations revealed:

> “The central bank had quietly allowed commercial banks to write off loans in 2002 under an incentive scheme introduced by former president Pervez Musharraf and the then finance minister Shaukat Aziz.”

Data shows Rs 213 billion of that total was written off for just 23,445 big borrowers. For them – banking courts, settlements and stay orders. For Akhtar and Amina Bibi – alleged abduction and death.

*THE CHARITY ECONOMY – WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING?*

Minute Mirror has accessed fresh official figures.

Ministry of Poverty Alleviation told Parliament this week:

> “More than Rs 11.77 billion in Zakat was collected through banks during 2024-25… For 2024-25, the total collection was stated at Rs 11,770,557,146.90”

Finance Division’s Monthly Update reveals:

> “Since 2019, cumulative disbursements have reached Rs125.7 billion” for interest-free loans through PPAF.

> “During July-April FY2025-26, expenditures under the BISP reached Rs518.1 billion”

BISP budget for FY2026 was Rs 722.49 billion, now raised to Rs 838 billion for FY2026-27, covering 10.2 million families. With Ramadan Package, Bait-ul-Mal, EOBI and others, total federal social protection crosses Rs 1 trillion a year. With private charity, it exceeds Rs 1.5 trillion.

Minute Mirror asks: If the state has Rs 1.5 trillion in the name of the poor, why were a mother and child allegedly kidnapped for Rs 50,000?

*MINUTE MIRROR VERDICT*

Farooqabad is 40 minutes from Lahore, but justice is 40 years away. A mother has lost her son because his wife and daughter were allegedly locked in a room for Rs 50,000.

If the State Bank of Pakistan does not cancel the licence of the branch and if the Punjab government does not make this a test case, every claim of good governance will stand exposed.