QUETTA, Dec 1: Senior cardiologist Dr Abdul Munaf Tareen, who was kidnapped from here about two and a half months ago, has been freed.

The kidnappers dropped him near a petrol station in the Uthal area of Lasbela, police said on Sunday.

Dr Tareen was kidnapped on Sept 17 when he was going home from his private clinic at Pishin Stop, near the headquarters of the Frontier Corps.

“Dr Tareen reached here after two and a half months of captivity by a PIA flight after his medical check-up at a private hospital in Karachi,” Home Secretary Asad Gilani told Dawn.

Police had taken him to Karachi from Uthal, he added.

Sources said the kidnappers had brought Dr Tareen to a petrol pump in the Uthal area and left him there.

Uthal is close to Karachi and the Quetta-Karachi and Karachi-Gwadar traffic passes from there.

With the help of local people, the doctor contacted Lasbela police, which immediately reached the place.

Lasbela District Police Officer Ahmed Nawaz Cheema said that his men took Dr Tareen in protective custody and shifted him to Karachi for medical check-up.

The president of the Balochistan chapter of Pakistan Medical Association, Dr Sultan Tareen, claimed that Dr Tareen was freed after payment of ransom.

“The cardiologist’s family paid Rs50 million as ransom to the kidnappers,” Dr Sultan said. There was no role of the government and police in his release.

Dr Tareen said: “I don’t know whether ransom was paid for my release. I am very happy having reached my home.”

He refused to answer any more questions at the Quetta airport.

Home Secretary Asad Gilani said: “If Dr Tareen had paid ransom why he didn’t inform police or the government. What is important is his release.”

He said the doctor’s statement would help police to reach the kidnappers.

After the kidnapping, doctors in all government hospitals in Balochistan went on strike on a call given by the Balochistan chapter of Pakistan Medical Association.