SAHIWAL: District police claimed on Tuesday to have arrested a woman allegedly involved in the kidnapping of an eight-month-old baby girl from Hamid Town, Village 90/9-L, on Dec 11 and recovered the infant.

Police investigators identified the suspects as Nazia and her daughter Ayesha, who abducted the child while her mother was alone at home.

District Police Officer (DPO) Usman Tipu told the media that Ayesha was arrested along with the baby from Sindh on Tuesday. Station House Officer (SHO) Amjad Hussain of Ghala Mandi police said the investigators relied on CCTV footage and geofencing to trace Ayesha.

According to police sources, the kidnappers had planned to sell the baby to a childless family in Karachi, but Ayesha was apprehended before her departure. The victim’s father, Naveed Shahzad, lives in Hamid Town with his wife, Shamim Bibi, and their daughter, Noor Fatima.

On Dec 11, Nazia and Ayesha approached Shamim, offering her a bank loan on easy installments. Shamim told police that this was their second visit; the women had earlier come a week before with a similar offer. While Shamim performed her Asr prayers, the two women remained seated inside the house. Taking advantage of the moment, Nazia slipped away with the infant, followed shortly by Ayesha.

The family immediately called the police helpline (15), and Ghala Mandi police registered a case on Naveed Shahzad’s complaint.

DPO Usman Tipu confirmed that Nazia remains at large, and police are conducting raids at multiple locations to arrest her. Records show Nazia is a widow, while her daughter Ayesha resides with a man named Rizwan. Ayesha is currently in police custody.

The DPO handed over the infant to the family in a public gathering at Hamid Town.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2025