NAROWAL: Sialkot police claimed on Tuesday to have rescued a man who had been kidnapped for Rs10 million more than one and a half months back.

According to police spokesman Inspector Nauman Ahmed, Muhammad Shiraz, a resident of Pakpura, Sialkot, had left his house on Jan 29 for some work and did not return.

On Feb 1, Muhammad Shiraz’s father Muhammad Amjad received a call from his mobile phone number that his son was in Rajanpur, Sindh. When Shiraz’s wife tried to talk to her husband, the unknown man said Shiraz had been kidnapped. The captors demanded Rs10m ransom from the wife of Shiraz for his release.

Civil Lines police registered a case on Feb 2 after initial investigation.

DPO Muhammad Hasan Iqbal formed teams under the leadership of SP Investigation Ghulam Abbas and DSP Rana Mahmoodul Hasan of Organised Crime Unit. The teams traced the location of the suspects with the help of call date record.

The Sialkot Police rescued Shiraz with the help of modern technology and locals of Rajanpur. On the information of the police raid, the kidnappers managed to escape leaving the hostage there.

According to police sources, Shiraz was in contact with a girl of Rajanpur on mobile phone and he went to marry her without telling his family.

The Sialkot DPO has announced cash reward and certificate of appreciation for the investigating and raiding teams for the safe recovery of the man.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2024