October 12, 2003	Sunday	Sha'aban 15, 1424

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QUETTA, Oct 11: Afghan secret agency Khad has kidnapped four Karachi-based Pakistani traders from Wash in Spin Boldak district of Afghanistan and demanded Rs 200,000 as ransom for their release, a senior Pakistani border security official said on Saturday. Their vehicles have also been impounded.

The businessmen — Mohammad Irfan, Mansoor Ahmed, Mohammad Rehan and Mohammad Rahim — have been shifted to Kandahar. The Afghan authorities claimed that they were government servants and some important documents were recovered from their possession. However, Pakistani official refuted the claim.

The Afghan officials later allowed one businessman Mohammad Rahim to go Chaman and arrange Rs 200,000 for the release of three other Pakistanis.

A spokesman of Pakistani border security force told Dawn that Pakistani border officials had written a letter to Syed Fazal Din Agha, Deputy Commissioner of Spin Boldak and requested him to take action against those officials who kidnapped the Pakistani traders for ransom and release them.