Local businessman Zulfiqar Ahmed, who was abducted in Karachi earlier this week, has returned to his home safely in Lahore, police said on Sunday.

Ahmed, who is the managing director of the Paracha Textile Mills and Mezan Group, was allegedly abducted by unknown armed men on July 23 when he, along with a friend Qaiser, was on his way to Clifton from his office.

On July 25, a two-judge bench headed by Justice Kausar Sultana Hussain heard the case after Anber Zulfiqar, the abductee’s wife, had petitioned the Sindh High Court (SHC).

Subsequently, the SHC had issued notices to the ministry of interior, provincial home department, inspector general of police (IGP) and others on a petition seeking whereabouts of the businessman.

In her petition, the petitioner had said that the vehicle of her husband was intercepted by a double cabin vehicle on Mauripur Road near Agra Taj and eight armed men abducted Ahmed and his friend on Tuesday. However, they later set Qaiser free.

The petitioner submitted that she and her family approached various law enforcement agencies including police, but they had expressed ignorance about the incident.

She submitted that a written complaint was also submitted to the Kalri SHO by the manager of the mills for registration of a FIR, but to no avail.

The petitioner expressed the apprehension that her husband might be framed in forged cases or killed in a “staged encounter by the respondents” since he had not been produced before any court as yet.

South-DIG Syed Asad Raza confirmed to Dawn.com today that Ahmed reached his home in Lahore.