SAHIWAL: The district police claim to have shot dead in an encounter two brothers who kidnapped a known child specialist for ransom more than three weeks ago.

The encounter took place at Musa Block of Noor Shah on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. Sources said police recovered Rs8.8 million Dr Sajid Mustafa’s family paid to the kidnappers for his safe recovery, a weapon and the car used in the crime. Dr Sajid Mustafa is an associate professor at the Sahiwal Medical College (SMC).

Fatehsher police SHO Mudassar Ghaffar told Dawn that the kidnappers were brothers one of whom had retired from state service and was highly trained in weapon handling and information technology.

Police also recover ransom amount from suspects

Dr Sajid Mustafa was kidnapped by four people from Fatehsher police jurisdiction on Jan 29 last. The incident hit the headlines and raised an alarm in the medical community. Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid, the SMC teachers and the local chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association condemned the incident.

The district police high command formed a team headed by SP Investigation Ms Shahida Noureen and comprising the DSP city and three SHOs to trace the doctor. Dr Mustafa, however, returned home after six days amid reports that his kidnappers had dropped him at Okara bypass after taking Rs12.7 million ransom. Police and the family of the doctor remained tight-lipped about the incident.

Police finally broke the silence and showed the bodies of the two kidnappers Qasir Yaqoob Watto and Yasin Watto who, they said, were killed in an encounter during a raid at Noor Shah.

The SHO said the suspects were also involved in demanding Rs400,000 extortion money from a car dealer and fired at his car on his refusal to pay the amount.

In 2018, he said, the two brothers kidnapped sixth-grade student Ihsan, a resident of Farid Town, whose family paid Rs4 million for his safe recovery.

IMMOLATION: A septuagenarian immolated himself in frustration over his worsening health at village 3/10-L on Wednesday morning.

Family said Sadiq had been ill for the last three years and was quite frustrated. They said he moved to a nearby garden and burnt himself.

Police handed over the body to the family after postmortem.

LAND RETRIEVED: Around 1,020 kanal state land having the market value of Rs1 billion has been retrieved from illegal occupants during the ongoing drive.

Deputy Commissioner Babar Bashir said 753 kanal had been retrieved in Chichawatni and 266 kanal in Sahiwal. He said 1,650 acre were still occupied by land grabbers because of litigation.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2021