DI Khan operation: Son of Sindh top judge rescued
Ovais Ali Shah reunites with family after 29 days
Sajjad Ali Shah welcomes Ovais Shah on his return. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI/TANK:
The son of Sindh’s top judge was rescued by security forces in a pre-dawn raid on Tuesday, nearly a month after he was seized by gunmen from an upscale neighbourhood of Karachi. Ovais Ali Shah, the son of Sindh
High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was flown to Karachi in a special plane later in the day to reunite with his family.
Ovais, himself a lawyer, was rescued by intelligence and security officials after finding him bound in chains
with his mouth taped shut and wearing a Burqa to hide his identity,
chief military spokesperson Lt Gen Asim Bajwa told a news briefing Tuesday morning at the GHQ in Rawalpindi.
Ovais was kidnapped from outside Agha’s Supermarket in the posh Clifton neighbourhood by four masked men donning police caps and travelling in a car bearing a fake police registration number on June 21. The kidnapping triggered a guessing game in the media about the identity of the kidnappers and their possible motives. Police suspected the group involved intended to use him as a bargaining chip in negotiations to free imprisoned militants.
Bajwa told reporters that the kidnappers belonged to a splinter group of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan affiliated with the al Qaeda in the India Subcontinent. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the country’s premier military spy agency, led the operation carried out between 2-2:30am in Dera Ismael Khan.
“The operation took place at Mufti Mehmood intersection in DI Khan. This intersection has three different entry points; one leads to Zob, the other to Tank and the third to DI Khan,” he added. “Security forces and intelligence officials had set up checkpoints and blocked these three entry points.” The kidnappers were transporting Ovais, possibly with a view to transferring him to Afghanistan.
The military spokesperson said they had been receiving technical evidence of movement of the kidnappers in the area for three days prior to the operation. And on the evidence, security forces and intelligence agencies set up ‘ambush’ in different places.
Around 2 am a blue colour Surf was signalled to stop by one of the soldiers manning a checkpoint. The driver, however, attempted to flee by driving over the road divider to use the wrong side. “The soldier shot at the driver, and the vehicle screeched to a halt,” Bajwa said. After the vehicle stopped, two terrorists came out and attempted to flee while firing at the security forces. However, they were taken down.
After the gunfight had ended, security officials searched the vehicle and found a Burqa-clad figure. They asked for the identity but received no response. Subsequently, when the veil was lifted, they found a man handcuffed and bound in chains with his mouth taped shut. “The man informed the security officials that he was the son of the SHC chief justice,” Bajwa added.
Three AK-47 assault rifles and 500 rounds, six hand grenades and some drum magazines were also recovered from the vehicle. Bajwa said security forces also searched the adjoining areas to hunt for possible facilitators and accomplices of the kidnappers; but the search yielded no arrests.
He sought to quash the impression that some political party could be behind Ovais’ kidnapping. “Whatever high-profile kidnappings they (terrorists) did, they had a purpose. They wanted to spread terror,” said Bajwa, referring to the kidnappings of Ali Haider Gilani, Shahbaz Taseer and Ovais Shah. “I want to salute the affected families. They have faced this challenge with perseverance, and ultimately all three men were recovered.”
Police and administration officials in the region were unaware of the operation in which Ovais was rescued. They believe the operation was kept secret on purpose so that the kidnappers could not get wind of it. They, however, said local police assisted security and intelligence officials in manning the checkpoints on the road where the operation took place.
Bajwa said they had reports suggesting that the kidnappers wanted to transport Ovais to the western border and then onwards to neighbouring Afghanistan. Local officials said that earlier this year some Fata Secretariat employees abducted in the region had been transferred to Afghanistan via the same route, though a Jirga later secured their release through negotiations.
Later in the day Advocate Ovais was flown in a special plane to Karachi where he was reunited with family after his 29-day ordeal. At the family residence in Gizri neighbourhood, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah hugged and kissed his son, who appeared to be in good health. Advocate Ovais briefly appeared before the media but did not speak.
His father, Justice Shah, told journalists that he had received a phone call from army chief General Raheel Sharif Tuesday morning who informed him that his kidnapped son had been rescued. He thanked Pakistan Army for rescuing his son, saying that the army chief had told him that he would personally supervise efforts to rescue him.
“I don’t know anything other than that my child has been returned to me,” he said when asked which group he believed was behind the kidnapping.
Celebration started outside the family residence as sweets and biryani were distributed among those present. Relatives, fellow judges and lawyers came in in large numbers to share the family joy. Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah also visited Justice Shah’s residence to greet him on the recovery of his son.
“Ovais is in good health,” one of his cousins told The Express Tribune. “We had never lost hope since Ovais was kidnapped. We were sure that he would come back safe and sound.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2016.
The son of Sindh’s top judge was rescued by security forces in a pre-dawn raid on Tuesday, nearly a month after he was seized by gunmen from an upscale neighbourhood of Karachi. Ovais Ali Shah, the son of Sindh
High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was flown to Karachi in a special plane later in the day to reunite with his family.
Ovais, himself a lawyer, was rescued by intelligence and security officials after finding him bound in chains
with his mouth taped shut and wearing a Burqa to hide his identity,
chief military spokesperson Lt Gen Asim Bajwa told a news briefing Tuesday morning at the GHQ in Rawalpindi.
Ovais was kidnapped from outside Agha’s Supermarket in the posh Clifton neighbourhood by four masked men donning police caps and travelling in a car bearing a fake police registration number on June 21. The kidnapping triggered a guessing game in the media about the identity of the kidnappers and their possible motives. Police suspected the group involved intended to use him as a bargaining chip in negotiations to free imprisoned militants.
Bajwa told reporters that the kidnappers belonged to a splinter group of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan affiliated with the al Qaeda in the India Subcontinent. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the country’s premier military spy agency, led the operation carried out between 2-2:30am in Dera Ismael Khan.
“The operation took place at Mufti Mehmood intersection in DI Khan. This intersection has three different entry points; one leads to Zob, the other to Tank and the third to DI Khan,” he added. “Security forces and intelligence officials had set up checkpoints and blocked these three entry points.” The kidnappers were transporting Ovais, possibly with a view to transferring him to Afghanistan.
The military spokesperson said they had been receiving technical evidence of movement of the kidnappers in the area for three days prior to the operation. And on the evidence, security forces and intelligence agencies set up ‘ambush’ in different places.
Around 2 am a blue colour Surf was signalled to stop by one of the soldiers manning a checkpoint. The driver, however, attempted to flee by driving over the road divider to use the wrong side. “The soldier shot at the driver, and the vehicle screeched to a halt,” Bajwa said. After the vehicle stopped, two terrorists came out and attempted to flee while firing at the security forces. However, they were taken down.
After the gunfight had ended, security officials searched the vehicle and found a Burqa-clad figure. They asked for the identity but received no response. Subsequently, when the veil was lifted, they found a man handcuffed and bound in chains with his mouth taped shut. “The man informed the security officials that he was the son of the SHC chief justice,” Bajwa added.
Three AK-47 assault rifles and 500 rounds, six hand grenades and some drum magazines were also recovered from the vehicle. Bajwa said security forces also searched the adjoining areas to hunt for possible facilitators and accomplices of the kidnappers; but the search yielded no arrests.
He sought to quash the impression that some political party could be behind Ovais’ kidnapping. “Whatever high-profile kidnappings they (terrorists) did, they had a purpose. They wanted to spread terror,” said Bajwa, referring to the kidnappings of Ali Haider Gilani, Shahbaz Taseer and Ovais Shah. “I want to salute the affected families. They have faced this challenge with perseverance, and ultimately all three men were recovered.”
Police and administration officials in the region were unaware of the operation in which Ovais was rescued. They believe the operation was kept secret on purpose so that the kidnappers could not get wind of it. They, however, said local police assisted security and intelligence officials in manning the checkpoints on the road where the operation took place.
Bajwa said they had reports suggesting that the kidnappers wanted to transport Ovais to the western border and then onwards to neighbouring Afghanistan. Local officials said that earlier this year some Fata Secretariat employees abducted in the region had been transferred to Afghanistan via the same route, though a Jirga later secured their release through negotiations.
Later in the day Advocate Ovais was flown in a special plane to Karachi where he was reunited with family after his 29-day ordeal. At the family residence in Gizri neighbourhood, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah hugged and kissed his son, who appeared to be in good health. Advocate Ovais briefly appeared before the media but did not speak.
His father, Justice Shah, told journalists that he had received a phone call from army chief General Raheel Sharif Tuesday morning who informed him that his kidnapped son had been rescued. He thanked Pakistan Army for rescuing his son, saying that the army chief had told him that he would personally supervise efforts to rescue him.
“I don’t know anything other than that my child has been returned to me,” he said when asked which group he believed was behind the kidnapping.
Celebration started outside the family residence as sweets and biryani were distributed among those present. Relatives, fellow judges and lawyers came in in large numbers to share the family joy. Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah also visited Justice Shah’s residence to greet him on the recovery of his son.
“Ovais is in good health,” one of his cousins told The Express Tribune. “We had never lost hope since Ovais was kidnapped. We were sure that he would come back safe and sound.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2016.