MARDAN, June 20: The Mardan police recovered a child from the captivity of a prayer leader in an Afghan refugee camp at Jalala here on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference at the press club here, District Police Officer Akhtar Hayat Gandapur said eight-year-old Aftab had been kidnapped for ransom from Taza Khan Killey on June 8.

He said that during investigation police learnt that the Pesh Imam of a mosque, Maulvi Abdul Haq, was involved in the kidnapping. He said Maulvi Haq had been in contact with the boy’s father, Haider Zaman, through his cellphone from the refugee camp. He said the kidnapper had demanded Rs500,000 for the boy’s release.

He said police raided the area, recovered the boy and arrested Maulvi Haq.

Maulvi Haq, who had been brought by police to the press club, said a local, Malang Khan, had enticed him to kidnap the boy since the boy’s family was rich and would pay a huge amount of money for his release.