KARACHI: The owner of a well-known beverage company, who was allegedly kidnapped by over half a dozen persons from Karachi last week, has safely reached his home, police said on Sunday.

DIG South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that Zulfiqar Ahmed had returned to his home in Lahore.

According to the FIR registered at Karachi’s Kalri police station, Mr Ahmed and another individual were on their way from their textile factory in the Shershah area to Clifton, on July 23, when eight unidentified armed men forcibly abducted them from Mauripur Road, near Agra Taj.

The FIR was filed by Imran Malik, an official from the textile factory. A case regarding his abduction was also filed before the Sindh High Court last week, where a two-member bench had issued notices to federal interior ministry, the Sindh home department and inspector general, among others.

Mr Ahmed is the owner of the Mezan Group, which manufactures the ‘Cola Next’ line of soft drinks, which have gained popularity amidst a widespread boycott of Western products in the wake of the Israeli invasion of Gaza. He is also the managing director of the Paracha Textile Mills.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2024