In Sindh, kidnapping for ransom is a common phenomenon in which unseen hands play a more damaging role than the seen ones
THE same story, but with different characters, is reprinted in instalments everyday in the newspapers published from Sindh. Such stories do not find space in English and Urdu newspapers. Since the stories are read with interest and enthusiasm, the editors publish these shocking stories with extra fanfare on the front page. The cut-throat competition for circulation among the newspapers deepens with the in-depth reporting of the awesome stories.
While following such stories one wonders, are we living in an anarchic country? Is ours a lawless land where crime and criminals go scot-free? You are constrained to believe whether lawmakers are hand in glove with the lawbreakers. Such stories leave you dumped in a morbid feeling of helplessness. Suddenly you disown the society you were nurtured and brought up in. You become an alien in your own country. You curse the day you were born to your mother among the callous people.
In a gruesome story, a person of moderate means is abducted for ransom. In most of the stories the abducted person happens to be a Hindu. Not as a rule, but generally the abducted Hindu belongs either to Kandhakot, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, or to Sukkar and Ghotki. The reporters, along with photographers, intrude into the house of the victim, and capture appalling pictures of the wailing mother, wife, children, and sisters of the victim. The photographs promptly appear on the front page of the newspapers along with the file photo of the kidnapped person. The editors provide all sorts of assistance to the reporters and the photographers in following the story. Grisly reporting guarantees increase in the circulation of the newspaper.
The police, as usual, refuse to register the case; thus they provide ample opportunity to the kidnappers to get away as far as possible. The relatives contact the Nazims and the Counsellors for getting the case registered. They either express their helplessness, or dish out empty promises to the relatives for the recovery of the kidnapped person. The frustrated relatives of the victim then embark upon the tedious task of contacting the MPA and the MNA of their area. Reportedly, in some stories, the victim and his relatives had provided substantive monetary assistance to the two elected representatives during their election campaigns.
Interestingly, the MPAs and MNAs elected from the interior of Sindh, most of the time, enjoy their life in Karachi or Islamabad. They do not make themselves available for listening to the grievances of the relatives of the kidnapped person.
Meanwhile, to keep the interest of the readers in the story alive the reporters and the photographers constantly keep visiting the house of the victim. They interview the ailing mother of the kidnapped person. They take numerous pictures of the hysterical wife.
In one of the episodes of the story the reporters swarm the police station and try to find out the reason for not registering the case. After a fiery exchange of words with the journalists police Officials reluctantly register a case against unknown kidnappers. In the meantime, the abductors convey their staggering demand for ransom to the perturbed family for the release of the kidnapped person. Soon thereafter the family begins paying the price for getting the case registered. Almost everyday, the SHO along with five or six police constables, visits the residence of the victim. He questions each family member. The servants and the maid are interrogated and beaten to divulge their connection with the unknown kidnappers. During their stay with the family the police party enjoys sumptuous meals, drinks, and what not.
The kidnapping for ransom is a well-established multimillion industry in the interior of Sindh. The industry efficiently operates unhindered through a cleverly designed system of its own. The criminals are called Dharels. They do not operate on their own. They are harboured and protected by the influential and well-connected persons. They are called the Patharedars. In most instances they rub shoulders with the people in the corridors of power. People who really matter in Pakistan happen to be their constant guests. They relish their luxurious hospitality and enjoy the thrills of guided hunting expeditions in the interior of Sindh.
Like a commodity a kidnapped person changes hands, and is sold from one party to the other on lucrative terms. Agony of the abducted person and his family mounts. The Patharedars desist from entering into negotiations directly. The amount of ransom is negotiated through the police and the ‘third party.’ In case a family is not able to meet the demands of the kidnappers, the abducted person is killed, and his body is thrown in front of his house to serve as warning to the would-be victims of the kidnappings.
The Patharedars own movable and immovable rural and urban properties, and live a luxurious life. Whereas, the Dharels live an ignoble life under subhuman conditions within the confines of the thick forests strewn with snakes, scorpions, poisonous insects, hyenas, wolves, and the wild boars. Except for protection from law enforcing agencies the Patharedars give nothing to the Dharels. If need be, a sick or wounded Dharel is eliminated.
In the successful deals the names of police offers, Dharels, and the negotiators are revealed to the readers of the newspapers. But, the name of the influential person on whose ‘intervention’ the kidnapped person is set free is never divulged. He remains faceless, and nameless.
