Police clueless over kidnapping bid on journalist in Islamabad
Gunmen take away journalist's laptop, mobile phone, hard drives, suitcase and passport
Taha Siddiqui, an Islamabad-based journalist working for an international media outlet, PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
After passing of over 24 hours, police have failed to find any clue of a kidnapping attempt by gunmen on a journalist in Islamabad.
Taha Siddiqui, an Islamabad-based journalist working for an international media outlet, was allegedly intercepted and then thrashed by four gunmen near Koral Chowk on Wednesday.
Siddiqui was on his way to the airport for a London-bound flight when gunmen attempted to take him away from the vehicle he was in.
After kicking the driver out of the car he jumped out and managed to escape.
A senior police officer told The Express Tribune on Thursday that while police were able to establish the occurrence of the incident, they are yet to ascertain the identify of the assailants.
The source said that the driver of the taxi narrated, more or less, the same story as the one given by Siddiqui.
The journalist later told authorities that the gunmen had taken away his Apple Macbook laptop, his mobile phone, hard drives, a suitcase, and a passport.
In his complaint to the police, Siddiqui said when he was being dragged out and beaten by gunmen a military vehicle passed by and he shouted for help, however, one of the gunmen gestured to the military vehicle’s occupants to carry on which they did.
Journalist Taha Siddiqui escapes kidnapping bid by '10-12 armed men'
He also claimed that after jumping out of the car in the middle of the road and crossed to the next side, where he signalled to a passing taxi which already had a passenger in it.
When offered money the taxi driver took Siddiqui in, but the taxi’s passenger told the cabbie that this man [Siddiqui] was being “taken by the army”.
Upon hearing this, the cabbie pulled over and told Siddiqui to get out.
After taking another two vehicles, Siddiqui reached the nearby Khanna police station but was told to go to the Koral police station instead.
While the police have registered an attempted kidnapping and death threats case against four unidentified gunmen, they say no clues have been found so far to take them into custody.
After passing of over 24 hours, police have failed to find any clue of a kidnapping attempt by gunmen on a journalist in Islamabad.
Taha Siddiqui, an Islamabad-based journalist working for an international media outlet, was allegedly intercepted and then thrashed by four gunmen near Koral Chowk on Wednesday.
Siddiqui was on his way to the airport for a London-bound flight when gunmen attempted to take him away from the vehicle he was in.
After kicking the driver out of the car he jumped out and managed to escape.
A senior police officer told The Express Tribune on Thursday that while police were able to establish the occurrence of the incident, they are yet to ascertain the identify of the assailants.
The source said that the driver of the taxi narrated, more or less, the same story as the one given by Siddiqui.
The journalist later told authorities that the gunmen had taken away his Apple Macbook laptop, his mobile phone, hard drives, a suitcase, and a passport.
In his complaint to the police, Siddiqui said when he was being dragged out and beaten by gunmen a military vehicle passed by and he shouted for help, however, one of the gunmen gestured to the military vehicle’s occupants to carry on which they did.
Journalist Taha Siddiqui escapes kidnapping bid by '10-12 armed men'
He also claimed that after jumping out of the car in the middle of the road and crossed to the next side, where he signalled to a passing taxi which already had a passenger in it.
When offered money the taxi driver took Siddiqui in, but the taxi’s passenger told the cabbie that this man [Siddiqui] was being “taken by the army”.
Upon hearing this, the cabbie pulled over and told Siddiqui to get out.
After taking another two vehicles, Siddiqui reached the nearby Khanna police station but was told to go to the Koral police station instead.
While the police have registered an attempted kidnapping and death threats case against four unidentified gunmen, they say no clues have been found so far to take them into custody.