Morgah standoff ends: Man takes family hostage, kills father-in-law

Family says Raheem was on drugs, alcohol after losing millions in gambling


Qaisar Sherazi December 31, 2017

RAWALPINDI: A man reportedly addicted to gambling, drugs and liquor took his family hostage and was finally arrested after a long standoff in the Morgah locality.

Abdul Raheem faces charges of killing his father-in-law, injuring a police man and taking 25 people of his family hostage.

According to his family sources, Raheem had lost millions of rupees worth of machinery in gambling and was very upset. For the last few days, they said, Raheem was consuming liquor and drugs excessively and was unable to sleep.

The family members, young and old, were admonishing him for losing his business to gambling, they said.

One dead as police rescue 22 hostages in Pindi

Raheem had tried to attempt suicide on Friday, but then came down from the roof and pointed his pistol at the family members gathered at his house threatening to shoot them.

According to neighbours, one of the children managed to escape and alerted them and they called the police.

The news spread like wildfire and not only other family members but the police high-ups including Chief Police Officer Israr Abbasi, and the relevant SP, DSP and SHO came rushing down to the scene where 25 lives were at stake.

However, Raheem’s relatives pressed the police not to launch an operation and they would try to talk him out of it.

The hostage situation continued from Friday night to Saturday afternoon. Police had also called in elite force and sharpshooters for help, but the fear of collateral damage was preventing a frontal attack.

The whole area was in a state of panic as police commandos took positions around the three storey house of Raheem, who was known to be quite a rich person in the locality.

US-Canadian hostages held for five years in Pakistan, claims CIA chief

There were women and children inside the home, who, Raheem had not allowed to drink water or eat anything for hours, an old lady had fainted due to exhaustion and stress as the situation got prolonged from night to morning.

Finally, with consultation of his relatives who were outside the home, police decided to call in Raheem’s father-in-law, Akbar Khan for negotiations.

The old man was in Sialkot and was rushed to Rawalpindi to resolve the matter. In fact the well-wishers had dragged the elderly man to his death.

As soon as Akbar Khan stepped in the house, Raheem shot him. The police could not wait any longer, they stormed the house  firing teargas shells in the room and one of the commandos shot Raheem in the leg, taking him alive.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2017.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ