SAHIWAL, July 7: Harappa police on Thursday claimed to have arrested one of the 13 accused who had kidnapped a boy to stop the execution of a convict in central jail on July 6. However, the seven-year-old Jaffar could not be recovered yet. The kidnapper, Alam Sher, who has been arrested, has told the police that the mastermind of the kidnap, Talib Hussain, was determined to ‘save’ the life of his friend, the convict Iqbal Bali, at all costs. Jaffar’s release was only possible through the release of Iqbal from jail, he added.

The kidnapped boy, Jaffar, is the nephew of the deceased, Mahmood Ahmad, who was murdered in 1990 by Iqbal and Talib over a petty issue. The court awarded capital punishment to Iqbal and life imprisonment to Talib, who later got released, and in a desperate bid to free his friend, kidnapped the boy.

Punjab police IG expressed his concern over the kidnap and ordered the Sahiwal DPO to ensure prompt recovery of the boy and arrest of his kidnappers.

Meanwhile, the district and sessions judge has summoned both the parties on July 13.