London police probe registration of 3 vehicles under Nawaz's name with criminal intent

• City of London Police confirms investigation has been initiated.
• Nawaz's office alerted police and Driver and Vehicles Licensing Agency.
• Complainants tell police PTI supporters are prime suspects.

LONDON: The City of London Police are investigating the registration of three vehicles under the name of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif by unknown men with the intention to commit serious crimes, including terrorism.

The police confirmed the investigation was initiated after Nawaz's London office reported to the police that three different vehicles were registered in his name and that someone intended to commit crimes. 

These vehicles were registered in March and April. Nawaz's office alerted the City of London Police as well as the Driver and Vehicles Licensing Agency (DVLA) when it received a postal communication at Avenfield flats sent by the DVLA that a vehicle number BF06NWC had been registered on the name of “Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif”.

When Nawaz's office in March told the DVLA that it was a fraud and not only that his name was written wrongly, but someone was trying to commit fraud and crime using Nawaz's name, an enforcement officer of DVLA replied: “Given the information you have provided we will investigate the matter further, we will write to you as soon those investigations are done.”

Another vehicle with registration number MM07MUB was registered in April against Nawaz's name. This was also reported to the DVLA and the police.

A reply by the DVLA to Nawaz on April 6 said: “Thank you for returning the documentation sent to you for the above vehicle. I am sorry that you have been contacted in this way. I have checked the record and for some reason, your name and address were quoted on the application form supplied to us. I have now removed your details from the vehicle record. However, you should continue to communicate with the police regarding the fraud claim.”

On April 11, a penalty charge notice was sent in the name of Nawaz Sharif at Avenfield flats by the Transport for London (TfL) against the third vehicle registered as LY63XDL, with the location of contravention near Buckingham Palace. It’s understood that Nawaz's office had informed both the police and TfL about the latest fraud attempt.

Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud at the City of London Police, confirmed to Geo News that it had received NFRC230305856682 on March 30 and NFRC230405863595 on April 3. 

She said: “They have been recorded on our system as information reports. An information report can be made when fraud has not been committed but has been attempted, or there is suspicion of criminal intent. An information report is also made if somebody is reporting fraud on behalf of a victim or a person is the victim of identity theft.”

Khurram Butt, who has dealt with police-related matters, has informed the police that someone was trying to use these vehicles in acts of terrorism, fraud, criminality and fraud and, therefore, must be apprehended and brought to justice.

Butt said he had reported the third vehicle to Action Fraud as well and added: “There is no doubt that some miscreants are trying to use the name of Mr Nawaz Sharif for criminal purposes, but the police have assured that they are looking into the complaints of fraud by Nawaz's office and will try to find out the person or persons involved in this plot.

"Terrorists, criminals and outlaws use vehicles by falsely registering against the name of innocent people to commit crimes but this time they have been caught too early. I have told the police that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters are the prime suspects of this fraud.”