RAHIM YAR KHAN: A doctor was kidnapped for Rs15 million ransom by unidentified dacoits early on Monday morning from Shaikh Zayed International Airport (SZIA), Sadiqabad Road.

Reports said Dr Khalid Mahmood, a resident of Gulshan Iqbal and senior registrar blood bank at Gambat Institute of Health Sciences (GIMS), Khairpur, Sindh, departed at 6am on Monday on his car for Gambat.

He had been travelling to Gambat for the last three months after joining the institute from SZIA to Sadiqabad and on National Highway (N-5) via Obaru, Ghotki, Rohri and Khairpur to Gambat due to unsafe conditions on Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5).

On the way immediately after start of his travel, he was kidnapped and his cell phone was not responding.

According to a senior doctor of Rahim Yar Khan, some unidentified suspects later called his family from Khalid’s cell phone and demanded Rs15m ransom. Khalid Mehmood also talked with his relatives and told them that the dacoits did not beat or torture him when he informed them that he was a doctor and would fulfil their demands.

On the other hand, RYK Saddar police have registered first information report under section 365 of Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Khalid’s brother Qaiser Mehmood. In the FIR, Qaiser said Khalid would always call his family after reaching GIMs but, on Monday when he didn’t call, they tried to contact him but his cell phone was powered off.

When they contacted GIMS, the staff informed that Khalid didn’t reach here. Then he informed the police.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Rahim Yar Khan Chapter President Dr Ishtiaq Bhatti on Tuesday condemned the kidnapping of Dr Khalid Mehmood and demanded immediate safe recovery of their colleague.

Published in Dawn, October 23th, 2024