Wife of retired DSP arrested in Peshawar over involvement in child kidnapping

Official says wife of serving inspector also allegedly part of gang

PESHAWAR: The wife of retired DSP Anwar Pari, a resident of Gulbahar, was arrested for her involvement in child kidnapping and trafficking cases in the city on Wednesday.

She was among the nine members of the gang who had been arrested in the same case last week.

A police official involved in the investigation process told The Express Tribune the wife of another serving police inspector was also involved in the same crime and she had been named by gang members arrested earlier.



The official said retired DSP tried his best to avoid the arrest of his wife and approached senior police officials after she was jailed to reverse the process. However, nothing worked for him since police high-ups had decided to arrest every individual regardless of his or her affiliation and position.

“The husband of Anwar Pari was a retired DPS but what is more worrisome is the fact that the wife of a serving SHO is also involved in child abduction,” he said, adding, this means police officials were engaged in the entire process in one way or the other.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Cantt SP Kashif Zulfiqar confirmed that the wife of a retired DSP was involved in child kidnapping cases.

“He is a retired police officer and he tried his best to contact us and other officials to turn the outcome in his favour, however, his wife was nevertheless shifted behind bars.” Zulfiqar added he had no information about the involvement of the wife of a serving inspector.

“We are investigating the matter and all those found involved in the crime or appear to have any contact with the child kidnapping gang will be arrested,” he said.



The backdrop

At least nine members of a gang were arrested for their involvement in kidnapping and selling of newborn children from hospitals and maternity homes across Peshawar on August 12. A child was also rescued by the police from their possession.

On August 16, a couple was arrested for selling their infant daughter to the gang for Rs94,000 in Pabbi, Nowshera. The gang was going to sell her for Rs0.3 million to another buyer who was also arrested. Given the fact that he owned a hospital in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, the police suspect the gang was actively committing the crime in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2016.