MIANWALI, May 3: The Kundian police on Saturday rescued two minor sisters who had been illegally detained by a landlord at his outhouse for their father’s loan default.

Muhammad Azeem, a resident of Hashimnagar, held hostage Ruqayia, 4, and Bilqees, 6, a few months ago as their father Ramzan, a farm worker, expressed his inability to pay back the debt amounting to Rs30,000 (including interest) to the landlord. The police handed over the girls to Sher Bahadur, a lumberdar of the same locality.

The police raided the landlord’s place on the complaint of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan coordinator Khalilur Rehman Khan.

In a related development, several philanthropists came forward to help the farm worker with an overwhelming response from Karachi a day after the publication of a news report. A philanthropist dispatched Rs30,000 in cash for the girls’ release.

Kundian police SHO Khalid Mahmood Gondal told this correspondent that they had recovered the girls and registered a case against Azeem. He said the girls would be handed over to their parents after locating their house.

Ramzan had barrowed Rs8,000 from the landlord two years ago to meet contingency, but failed to return the amount and interest as pledged. After his children’s abduction, he got scared and moved to a katcha Gujrat area of Mianwali district to work as a labourer.

— Correspondent