SAHIWAL: In an intelligence-based operation, law-enforcement agencies and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Thursday apprehended a data entry operator from the Sahiwal regional office of Special Branch (SB).

Reports said the suspect identified as Bilal Hyder, a resident of Kasowal, Khanewal district, was taken into custody on suspicion of having connections with the banned outfit Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ).

Sources said Ali Hyder, a regular employee of Special Branch for the last 15 years, was running a “network”, and was considered as one of the key collaborators. Presently he had been serving with Special Branch, Sahiwal. Following the operation, law-enforcement agencies shifted him to an undisclosed location for further interrogation, as investigators are working out to identify and track down other members of his network.

The regional office of Special Branch is traditionally overseen by an officer having rank of superintendent of police (SP).

When contacted for details about Hyder’s service record, Additional IG Rao Abdul Kareem told Dawn on phone that all records had been handed over to the CTD and law-enforcement agencies.

KIDNAP: Four women were kidnapped in two incidents in Sahiwal.

The first incident occurred at village 101/6-R.A, where a women, her daughter and her granddaughter were abducted by 26 armed individuals, including four women, on Wednesday night.

Reports said Muhammad Javed, a resident of village 291/ GB, Toba Tek Singh, came to see his in-laws at Harappa along with his mother, wife, and daughter. On Wednesday night, 26 armed men, including four woman, broke lock of his in-laws’ house, held hostage all family members sleeping in the courtyard and took away his wife Asia Bibi, daughter Anaya and mother-in-law Zahrain Bibi.

The kidnappers bundled three ladies in a van parked outside street by resorting to aerial firing. The suspects included Abbas, Asif, Khadim, Ali Sher, Saeed, Naseem, Manzoor, Abdullah, Farid Sher, Nasreen, Kalsoom and 12 unknown people.

Harappa police have registered a case against 26 people under section 365 B of Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Muhammad Javed.

Police investigators say some property dispute is the reason for the incident.

In another incident, a student of Government Graduate College for Women was abducted by three to four unidentified men near the college gate on Wednesday.

Reports said ‘I’ of Sharif Colony was allegedly taken away in a car as she came out of the college premises. Despite the proximity of the Fateh Sher police station, which is barely 500 yards away from the college gate, the authorities were unable to apprehend or identify the kidnappers. Police have registered a case on the complaint of the girl’s father.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2025