LAHORE, May 16: Gunmen kidnapped advocate Awais Sheikh, counsel for the late Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, and his son from their Bedian Road farm on Thursday and later released them after three and half hours.

The suspects, who were armed with sophisticated weapons, also thrashed Sheikh and later threw him on Sheikhupura bypass, police said. His 29-year-old son Shahrukh was dropped later at some distance on the road.

Mr Sheikh is known for fighting cases of Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails. He recently wrote a book on the life of Sarabjit Singh titled ‘Mistaken Identity’.

He also runs a NGO namely “Pakistan-India Peace Initiatives”. His several petitions are pending before courts.

During hearing of petition a judge of the Lahore High Court had appreciated Mr Sheikh and advised him to work for the rights of local prisoners too.

Deputy Inspector General (Investigation) Zulfiqar Hameed told Dawn that Mr Sheikh of Askari II and his son Shahrukh were returning from their Bedian Road farm near Karbath village around 10am when four to five gunmen riding a red double-cabin pick up and a motorcycle intercepted them.

He said the suspects bundled them into the pick up, blindfolded them and torture Sheikh who suffered head wounds.

Quoting Sheikh, the DIG said the suspects, who wore shalwar qameez, kept speaking both in Pashto and Urdu, but did not talk to him and his son. He said the suspects also changed the vehicle after leaving the first crime scene.

Mr Sheikh after being dropped at 1:30pm asked about the location from a motorcyclist and then contacted his family. Lahore police were also alerted by the victim’s family. His son Shahrukh was dropped few kilometers away from Sheikh.

Hameed said a police team dispatched to Sheikhupura picked up the victims and brought them back to the city.

He said Mr Sheikh was unaware about the kidnappers.

According to Sheikhupura police, their officials acted on an emergency call and found Indian Raw agent Sarabjit Singh’s lawyer Sheikh Awais in injured condition on Sheikhupura Bypass.

Police high-ups reached the spot and shifted Sheikh to Sheikhupura DHQ hospital where doctors treated his head wounds.

Cantt SP (Operations) Umer Riaz said a case under Section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) of the Pakistan Penal Code had been registered against unidentified kidnappers on the complaint of Mr Sheikh. He said further investigations were underway.

He said the suspects, two of them had small beard, only took the cell phone and wallet of Sheikh’s son.

Awais Sheikh could not be reached for comment.

Security officials at Askari 11 Cantt, where Sheikh lives, barred reporters from entering the residential society to meet the victim and his family.