Contractor freed

Published March 31, 2007

MIANWALI, March 30: The contractor who was kidnapped about 12 days ago by unidentified men for Rs3m ransom reached home on Thursday night. Aslam of Jauharabad, was kidnapped on March 18 by three masked men from Musakhel for Rs3 million ransom.

The kidnappers continued telephonic contact with the family of Aslam and reduced the amount Rs1 million.

Mianwali DPO Akhtar Omar Lalika said at a press conference on Friday that the kidnappers freed Aslam due to police pressure. However, none of them has so far been arrested, he said and expressed the hope that they would be apprehended soon.

He said Aslam might have released as he fell sick. He was admitted to hospital, he added.

He said for them it seemed difficult to get ransom from a man belonging to a big local tribe. Hidayatullah’s father Sher Bahadur Khan said dozens of armed men of his tribe had been searching for the culprits in Salt Range for the last two days with police. He said the kidnappers dropped Aslam blindfolded at Golewali. — Correspondent