April 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1429

RAWALPINDI, April 29: Despite claims by Inspector General of Police, Punjab, that an effective mechanism has been devised to improve police performance, a family has been running from pillar to post to get an FIR registered about kidnapping of a relative.

The family members of Zahoor Ahmed, a teacher at the Government Primary School Kalar Syedan, has been trying to get an FIR registered with police after passage of over a month.

Pervez Akhtar Bhatti, the elder brother of the kidnapped man, lodged complaints with the Inspector General of Police, CPO Rawalpindi, CPO Bahawalpur Range DPO Raheem Yar Khan but failed to get response from them.

Zahoor, father of four, left his home for Chakwal in March. The next day, Pervez received a telephone call from his brother’s cellphone that he had been kidnapped. Later, the kidnappers demanded Rs5 million ransom for his release.

Pervez said when he told the caller that he cannot arrange such a huge amount, the kidnappers brought down the amount to Rs3 million. He said his brother, whose voice was tumbling, was allowed to talk to him by the kidnappers. He said after failing to get response from the kidnappers, he contacted the Kalar Syedan police and lodged a complaint with the SHO.

He said his brother had gone to Chakwal to meet his friend and later he went to Sadiqabad (Rahim Yar Khan) from where he was kidnapped and taken to an undisclosed location.

He said Kalar Syedan police refused to register a case saying he had not been kidnapped from their jurisdiction.

When contacted, City Police Officer Rawalpindi Saud Aziz said the scene of crime fell under the jurisdiction of Rahim Yar Khan, therefore the case should be registered there.