Gang releases abducted men in DG Khan

Collective punishment, negotiations employed

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

Three officers of a cement company kidnapped by gangsters were rescued after a week.

Orders for month-long detention of 20 alleged facilitators and other strict measures for the recovery of the abducted men along with cooperation from local community chiefs were employed for the recovery.

Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha told The Express Tribune that action plans were being drawn up in consultation with law enforcement agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Armed robbers of Ladi gang abducted senior manager Ghulam Siddique and assistant managers Shah Nawaz and Ejaz Hussain on April 1 and took them to their hideout.

The divisional commissioner presided over a meeting of law enforcement officials three days ago for the recovery of the abducted men,

After considering various options, including a large joint operation, the Deputy Commissioner and BMP Senior Commandant Hamza Salik issued one-month detention orders under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law of 20 people.

The detained men included Muhammad Akbar Chakrani, Ayub Chakrani, Ishaq Chakrani, Fahad Chakrani, Sajjad Sanjrani, Ghulam Hassan Sanjrani, Allah Divaya Sanjrani, Ghulam Abbas Sanjrani, Ghulam Ilyas Sanjrani, Altaf Mulgani, Abdul Rehman Sanjrani, Mohammad Yousuf, Khamisa Khan, Abdul Ghaffar, Mohammad Altaf Sanjrani, Mohammad Ejaz Sanjrani, Mohammad Fayyaz Sanjrani, Gul Sher Sanjrani and Amanullah Sanjrani.

They were accused of facilitating the Ladi gang.

Meanwhile, the kidnappers were cordoned off with blockades of all mountain routes.

Calls were made through the local tribal chiefs for the immediate release of the abducted managers.

A warning of a strict security operation in case of defiance was also given.

In case of immediate release of the abducted men, the authorities hinted at consideration of demands for the construction of a school, a pond and provision of employment.

They also assured the gang members that no operation would be carried out against them. As a result, the three abducted officers, Ghulam Siddique, Shah Nawaz and Ejaz Hussain were released by the Ladi gang on Friday morning.

Read Is govt ‘facilitating’ abductors, asks Justice Isa

They were left near a security post.

The divisional commissioner said the local administration's first priority was the safe recovery of hostages so all the options were used for the purpose.

He said orders were issued to detain the facilitators of the gang for a month along with encircling the kidnappers.

However, the community leaders of the area managed to secure the release of the three abducted men on the assurance of avoiding casualties in an operation.

The commissioner clarified that ransom had not been paid for the recovery of the abducted employees, nor had any checkpoint been abolished on the demand of the abductors.

The official said that the rule of law in the Koh-e-Sulieman area would be ensured at all cost and a plan was being prepared to prevent similar incidents in the future.

On July 18, 2021 Khuda Bakhsh Chakrani alias Khudi, the ringleader of the notorious Ladi gang who was wanted in over 30 cases by the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), has been killed in a police encounter along with one of his accomplices on Saturday.

Police said a search operation is underway to arrest the remaining members of the Ladi gang.

Chakrani had kidnapping an opponent named Ramzan in the Koh-e-Safido tribal region of Dera Ghazi Khan, cut off his hands and feet and killed him. A video of the gruesome act was recorded and went viral on social media.

The LEAs launched a search operation in Kot Mubarak where Chakrani was hiding along with his accomplices. Chakrani and his accomplice Ismail were killed in an exchange of fire with the police. Chakrani was involved in dozens of incidents including robbery, kidnapping, murder, attempted murder and police encounters and was advertised in more than 30 cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2022.