KARACHI, Dec 6: A businessman was freed and his kidnappers were arrested as a result of a joint operation of the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee and the Anti-Violent Crime Cell here on Wednesday.

Asif Abdul Karim, 57, was kidnapped by gunmen on the night of December 2 in the Darakhshan area.

A resident of Dhorajee Colony, Mr Karim had gone to pick up his daughter in Darakshan but was kidnapped there. His car was later found abandoned in the same area. CPLC chief Sharfuddin Memon told Dawn that the victim’s family contacted the CPLC after receiving a telephone call demanding Rs20 million in ransom.

“Negotiations with the kidnappers began and the ransom amount was settled at Rs300,000,” Mr Memon said. During the entire process, the CPLC team assisted the family in dealing with the kidnappers, he added. Finally, December 6 was slated for the payment and a Gizri area was chosen as a place for the payment.

“They received the payment in Gizri. We followed them to Park Towers where the kidnappers dropped the victim. They were pursued and in the limits of Malir City a shoot out occurred with them,” Mr Sharfuddin Memon said.

Three of the suspects, identified as Danish, Muhammad Ali and Javed, were arrested and arms and ammunition were seized from them. Their accomplice Ilyas Butt escaped, he said.

The suspects hailing from Punjab were wanted in several criminal cases by the Lahore police. They had kept the kidnap victim at a hideout in Gulshan-i-Jamal, Mr Memon said.