August 05, 2008	Tuesday	Sha'aban 2, 1429

FAISALABAD, Aug 4: Kidnap-for-ransom incidents are on the rise in the district, and a minor boy was killed in such an incident a week ago. Four people were kidnapped in the past three weeks, of them two were released.

Asif Siddique, nephew of a confectioner, was kidnapped by armed men from outside of his shop three days ago. Four people riding a car kidnapped Siddique from Sargodha Road even in the presence of his security guard. Kidnappers demanded a Rs10 million ransom for his release, police sources said, adding that “special teams were made to net the criminals”.

Earlier, police had rescued two of the four kidnapping for ransom victims -- Riaz Ahmad and seven-year-old Ibrahim.

When Ibrahim was rescued on July 23, Regional Police Officer Abdul Majid told reporters on July 24 that special teams had been formed to arrest the trend of kidnapping for ransom.

However, his claims proved a dud when unidentified kidnappers struck on July 26 and took away Abdul Mateen Majid, 8, also the nephew of Jaranwala Town Nazim Mohammad Akram. When his family failed to meet the ransom demand of captors, his body was found on July 29.

The Jaranwala nazim said even though police cooperated with them, but still they were unable to trace the criminals because of lack of infrastructure.

Captors use mobile connections issued from Faisalabad to communicate their demands to the victims’ families. Sources said policemen had visited the office of a cellular company to get information about the calls.

Dawn learnt the kidnappers used mobile connections issued by retailers or even companies without ensuring identity of the subscriber.

Though, operation against the shopkeepers selling SIMs (subscriber identity modules) without getting the identity card of the subscriber is in progress, but police have failed to get the desired results.

Police have also been facing problems to trace cell phone calls by kidnappers, for lack of equipment.

A police officer seeking not to be named said they had to seek the assistances of a secret agency to trace calls that consumed a lot of time.