MANSEHRA: The police on Wednesday arrested a woman for allegedly kidnapping a newborn and trying to smuggle it to Punjab earlier this week.

Sheeraz Khan, Superintendent of Police (Investigations), told a presser at his office here that the suspect, Yasmeen Tanveer, stated to be a resident of Faisalabad, met Hafiza Bibi at Ayub Medical Complex Hospital, Abbottabad, when she gave birth to a child, and introduced herself as an employee of Benazir Income Support Programme on Monday (June 3).

“The suspect took Hafiza Bibi and her husband to Mansehra, promising to get their names registered with BISP for financial assistance. Just as they disembarked from a passenger vehicle outside Ghazikot town, the woman from Faisalabad took the baby away for feeding him, but didn’t return,” Mr Khan said.

The SP said that a team constituted on the orders of the DIG Hazara range obtained CCTV footage and started an investigation into the incident, which led to the recovery of the six-day-old baby and the arrest of his captor.

“The woman abandoned the newborn in Dara area on the outskirts of the city, and was arrested while fleeing,” SP Khan said. He said that during the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the suspect belonged to Kulhara Baffa area here, and was married to Mohammad Tanveer in Faisalabad.

“We have collected all basic information about the suspect, and would also arrest her brother and one of her sisters if they are found involved in the kidnapping bid,” Mr Khan said.

The SP said that an FIR of the incident was lodged under section 365 of Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2024