SAHIWAL: A prayer-leader and a commission agent were allegedly kidnapped by unknown men in separate incidents at 136/9-L and 135/9-L villages in Sahiwal tehsil, respectively.

As per police sources, a prayer-leader, Hafiz Tahir, left his house to lead Traveeh prayers in Akhterabad on Monday night.

On his way to the mosque, he was allegedly intercepted by some armed men, who bundled him into a waiting double-cabin vehicle and sped away towards Lahore-Multan National Highway, they said.

According to police, the mobile phone of Hafiz Tahir was found switched off, while his family says they have no enmity with anyone.

In the other incident, Asif, a local commission agent, who went to buy grocery, was allegedly kidnapped by unknown men. After failing to contact him on his mobile phone, his family reported the matter to police.

Ghala Mandi police registered two separate cases under section 265 of the PPC on the compliant of Tahir’s brother Mubarik Ali and Asif’s wife Saima Asif, and started investigations.

ATC ORDER: Ziaullah Khan, Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, has ordered removal of section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) in an honour killing case on Tuesday.

Police had booked the suspect, Zeeshan, under Section 7 of the ATA for killing his brother-in-law, Tanooq, in the name of ‘honour’ on district courts premises on last Saturday.

The victim had contracted love marriage with the suspect’s sister, Ms Muafia, on Jan 18, 2025, at Mian Channu, Khanewal district.

Civil Lines police had arrested Zeeshan on the court premises immediately after the murder, and later booked him, his father Aslam Masih, mother Kawita and a relative, Kishwar Bibi, under sections 302, 34, and 7-ATA on the complaint of the victim’s father, Gulzar Masih.

Hearing the case on Tuesday, the judge ordered removal of section 7 of the ATA from the FIR and sent the case to the court of Judicial Magistrate Touseef Adeel.

The judge allowed four-day remand of the suspect and fixed March 7 as the next date of hearing.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2025