Kidnapped for ransom: Police rescue Afghan refugee

HARIPUR: The police have claimed to have rescued an Afghan refugee who was kidnapped for ransom a few days back in Haripur. Kotnajibullah DSP Ejaz Khan told The Express Tribune on Monday that Hafizullah, a resident of an Afghan refugee camp in Haripur, was kidnapped when he was getting his vehicle washed at a service station near Panian village on GT Road. The DSP added the culprits identified as Sardar Dilawar, Amir Latif Butt, Irfan, Mudassar and Khwaja Muhammad forcefully dragged Hafizullah in a vehicle and fled. Later, in the evening, the kidnappers contacted Hafizullah’s elder brother Shafiullah, demanding Rs4.5 million as ransom for his release. However, the DSP said, the police traced the accused from the mobile phone data. He said a police team raided the kidnappers’ hideout on Sunday night and rescued Hafizullah from an abandoned Afghan refugee camp. The police also arrested all the accused, who were produced before the court of the area magistrate on Monday. They were sent on a three-day physical remand.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2016.