Murtaza Wahab not targeted: Police
Officials rule out political motivation in kidnapping of politician’s son.
KARACHI:
Police in Karachi do not think that Murtaza Wahab, son of PPP leader Fauzia Wahab, was targeted for his mother’s political affiliation in a kidnapping and armed robbery on Sunday night.
Three unidentified men held Murtaza Wahab at gunpoint after having forced his vehicle to stop near Karsaz Road late on Sunday night. Wahab was alone at the time and was briefly held hostage by the men who robbed his car of valuables, including his credit card, wrist watch and mobile phone.
They then fled the scene of the crime, and let him go.
Police officials say it is not uncommon for ordinary criminals to temporarily hold their victim hostage while they make their escape. While it is still early in the investigation, the police do not suspect that the robbery and brief kidnapping had any political motive.
“It is a common phenomenon that the car snatchers apply this modus operandi for snatching the vehicles,” said Ashfaq Hussain Shah, the officer investigating the incident. “They hold the abductee as hostage till they reach a safer place to go away with the vehicle snatched.”
Wahab is a barrister and son of Member of the National Assembly Fauzia Wahab, a Pakistan Peoples Party legislator from Sindh. Fauzia Wahab declined to comment on her son’s kidnapping and robbery.
“I am not interested in sending comments to the press,” said Wahab to reporters who contacted her for her response.
“Better ask the police or probe the incident on your own.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2011.
Police in Karachi do not think that Murtaza Wahab, son of PPP leader Fauzia Wahab, was targeted for his mother’s political affiliation in a kidnapping and armed robbery on Sunday night.
Three unidentified men held Murtaza Wahab at gunpoint after having forced his vehicle to stop near Karsaz Road late on Sunday night. Wahab was alone at the time and was briefly held hostage by the men who robbed his car of valuables, including his credit card, wrist watch and mobile phone.
They then fled the scene of the crime, and let him go.
Police officials say it is not uncommon for ordinary criminals to temporarily hold their victim hostage while they make their escape. While it is still early in the investigation, the police do not suspect that the robbery and brief kidnapping had any political motive.
“It is a common phenomenon that the car snatchers apply this modus operandi for snatching the vehicles,” said Ashfaq Hussain Shah, the officer investigating the incident. “They hold the abductee as hostage till they reach a safer place to go away with the vehicle snatched.”
Wahab is a barrister and son of Member of the National Assembly Fauzia Wahab, a Pakistan Peoples Party legislator from Sindh. Fauzia Wahab declined to comment on her son’s kidnapping and robbery.
“I am not interested in sending comments to the press,” said Wahab to reporters who contacted her for her response.
“Better ask the police or probe the incident on your own.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2011.