Three residents of Ghotki go missing

SUKKUR: Three residents of Ghotki who were on their way to Karachi from Ghotki went missing on Saturday.

Families of the missing people fear that the men have been kidnapped while police have denied their claims.

Ehsan Ghoto and Israr Ghoto, along with their friend Zahid Shar were on their way to Karachi from Ghotki on Saturday. "They [the missing men] last contacted us from the Sukkur bypass after which we lost contact with them," said Ehsan cousin, Ghulam Mustafa Ghoto. Meanwhile, Sukkur SSP Amjad Ahmed Shaikh said that the missing men lost contact with their families somewhere near Hingorja. A source in the Khairpur police also confirmed Shaikh's claim.

Khairpur SSP Azfar Mahesar was not available for comments while his personal staff officer Asghar Thebo said that the men have not been kidnapped but rather taken into Rangers’ custody near the Shah Latif University check post. "Their relatives know this too, but are misguiding the media," claimed Thebo.

Israr is the elder brother of Sahib Khan Ghoto who was the president of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz Ghotki chapter and was found dead on February 17, 2015, said a Ghotki-based reporter, adding that the death anniversary was on February 17 and Shar may have visited Ghotki to attend it.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2017.