GUJRANWALA, Dec 22: A US returned businessman and his partner who were kidnapped by their rivals about one week ago from Gondlanwala Chowk on GT Road were recovered by a joint raiding team of police of Sialkot and Gujranwala under the supervision of FBI agents and intelligence agencies from Sambrial and arrested five people on Wednesday.

Malik Aslam, 60, of Rahwali was a green card holder and working as an accounts officer in a state department in the US. He came back recently and started business in the Trust Plaza.

He was on his way to city along with his partner Muhammad Mansha by his car when they were kidnapped. They kept them in a factory in Eminabad for three days and demanded Rs500,000 ransom for their release.

The relatives of the kidnapped men paid ransom to kidnappers near Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore two days ago. But, the accused did not release them and shifted them to a bungalow in Sambrial. Malik Aslam's sons contacted FBI in New York who directed the US consulate and FBI agent in Pakistan to secure his release.

The kidnappers resisted the police but surrendered on seeing a heavy contingent of the force. They were handed over to Sabzi Mandi police where a kidnap case was already registered against Zafar Iqbal alias Goga, Atif and Yamin Butt, etc.

It is learnt that Ms Ayesha Perveen and Tariq Butt, close relatives of Mr Aslam, were killed by the accused and he was pursuing the murder case. Meanwhile, it is alleged that a police officer was backing the accused.

YOUTH KIDNAPPED: A youth was kidnapped for pursuing a murder case and later his kidnappers demanded Rs2 million ransom. The family of Yousaf told police that he was going to his village Babu Rata when he was kidnapped. His kidnappers later called them and demanded Rs2 million ransom besides an agreement that he would not pursue the murder case. Naushra Virkan police have registered a case and are investigating.