Lalji recounts his 24-hour-long abduction

KARACHI: Around 20 men in police uniforms abducted Riaz Lalji from Shahrae Faisal, the industrialist said on Friday while giving a detailed account of his 24-hour-long captivity.

Lalji, a close associate of President Asif Ali Zardari, was kidnapped on Sunday after his return from a three-day stay in Dubai. He was on the way home from the airport on Sunday, accompanied by his driver and gunman, when his car was suddenly stopped by around 15 to 20 men, in police uniform, who claimed that they were required to carry out a “routine check” of his car. The men then snatched the gunman’s weapon and forced Lalji into a white Corolla after which they proceeded towards an undisclosed location. Meanwhile, his gunman and driver were taken elsewhere.

A blindfolded Lalji was then shifted from one place to another after every three to four hours. This went on for almost 24 hours after which Lalji was driven around for another 45 minutes until he was finally forced out of the car and found himself standing outside a police check post on Monday.

Lalji failed to account for the measures that were undertaken by law-enforcement agencies after his abduction. He said, however, that his abductors had been hospitable towards him during his capture and had neither asked him nor his family for any ransom. He also denied the possibility of any personal enmities that may have led to his captivity and was unable to comment on why he had been abducted

The industrialist’s gunman and driver were set free on Wednesday.

Lalji said that his three continuous meetings with Zardari, hours before his abduction, were of a private nature and had nothing to do with his business or financial affairs.

They were meetings between friends, nothing more, he added.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2010.