OKARA/SAHIWAL: Sahiwal Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mian Mehboob Rashid says that Okara police have safely recovered a 10-year-old boy who was kidnapped for ransom on April 7, arresting the five suspects allegedly involved in the crime.

The RPO, flanked by Okara District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Raashid Hidayat told a presser on Wednesday that the boy, Zayan, a Class VI student, went missing from Mecca Madina Town locality on Okara-Dipalpur road in the limits of Saddar police area on April 7 (Monday).

Later, the alleged kidnappers, using an international SIM, called the boy’s parents and demanded Rs25 million as ransom for his safe release, the RPO says.

On receiving the call, the boy’s father Muhammad Altaf immediately reported the matter to police, he adds.

The police registered a case under sections 363 and 365-A of the PPC on the complaint filed by the boy’s maternal cousin, Zeeshan Ali.

Taking notice, the DPO formed a special team headed by investigation SP Malik Dawood and comprising area SHO and DSP.

The team took the boy’s parents on board, directing them to remain in contact with the kidnappers, assuring them they would pay the ransom as per their demand.

The RPO said that the parents were told to bring the amount to a place near Bonga Hayat village in Pakpattan district.

The RPO claimed that the plainclothes accompanied the parents and reached the said spot with the ransom amount.

Ultimately, the police arrested the five suspects identified as Taskeen, Shaban, Farrukh Mumtaz, Arshad, and Mahtab allegedly involved in the kidnap for ransom and safely recovered the boy from a private farmhouse located at Chak Badian, Pakpattan district.

The RPO appreciated the district police head and his team for the safe and swift recovery ofthe minor boy.

The police on Wednesday presented the suspects in the court of Ziaullah Khan, Special Judge, Regional Anti-Terrorism Court, who granted a five-day physical remand of the five suspects.

The judge ordered to produce them in the court again on April 14.

Meanwhile, police sources say that the kidnappers initially demanded Rs50 million ransom, but the “deal” was struck through a collaborator, Farrukh Mumtaz, at Rs25m.

They say that Mumtaz was tracked by the police through his phone conversations and a separate “deal” was struck with him, offering him Rs2 million in exchange for the information leading to recovery of the boy and arrest of the four kidnappers. The police also arrested Mumtaz.

As per a police sources, differences cropped up among the kidnappers over distribution of the ransom amount, which forced Mumtaz to strike a separate deal with the police to secure his share.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025