Businessman comes home after paying Rs80m to kidnappers in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: A businessman involved in the import and export business was released from captivity after one month by paying almost Rs80 million in ransom to the kidnappers who had abducted him from Rawat.

The police, however, have yet to trace the whereabouts of the abductors. Shahzad Khan, a resident of the Atomic society, lodged an FIR with the Rawat police, saying he was at home when the in-charge of the society informed him that his father Talah Khan, who was coming home in his SUV, was intercepted by four unidentified persons on August 13.

The FIR said the businessman was dragged out of his car and was driven away by the quartet in their car towards G.T. Road. Later, the kidnappers demanded Rs80m for the safe release of the businessman.

Initially, the Rawat police registered a case under Section 365 but after the kidnappers demanded ransom, the police inserted ‘A’ with section (365A) and launched a search for the abducted businessman.

In another FIR on Aug 28, Shahzad Khan, the son of the kidnapped businessman, informed the Rawat police that at about 2:30am, at least five unknown men on three motorcycles shot at their house on Aug 25. Two people were equipped with Kalashnikovs and fired gunshots towards the drawing room, causing damage to the windows as well as a car parked on the porch. He said the attackers sped off after the shooting but the incident sparked panic among the family members.

When Shahzad Khan was contacted, he confirmed that his father was released after one month of captivity. According to the police, the businessman was released from confinement with the help of a ‘jirga’ but the culprits remain at large.

Commercial Market kidnapping

Another kidnapping incident was reported to the New Town police by Rao Mohammad Tariq on Sunday. The FIR said he along with his wife and friend’s son was abducted by two unidentified persons from Commercial Market in Satellite Town.

Rao Mohammad Tariq, a resident of Sector I-10/2, lodged an FIR with the New Town police, saying they were leaving the Commercial Market parking area when two unidentified persons forcibly occupied the back seat of his car and forced him at gunpoint to move towards the motorway.

Initially, the kidnappers asked the son of his friend to talk to his father and demanded ransom but they dropped the family friend and his wife near the Faisalabad interchange and moved towards Jhang G.T. Road with him. He said after covering a distance of about 10km, they also pushed him out of his car and sped off.

When the complainant was contacted and asked about the motive behind the kidnapping of the family, he told Dawn that there was no motive as he did not know the culprits. He said his car had been found but the police have not recovered Rs50,000 which kidnappers snatched from him.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2024