Disturbing video of hostage goes viral

Tasveer Hussain abducted from Lahore and taken to Kacha area

NOORPUR THAL:

Tasveer Hussain, who was abducted by suspects from the Kacha area 20 days ago, has yet to be released. The abductors doubled the ransom for Tasveer’s release and released a video of the victim. Instead of Rs5 million, they are demanding Rs10 million.

The kidnappers uploaded a video of Tasveer on social media, in which he was chained and in an injured condition, appealing for his release.

Despite the passage of time, law enforcement agencies seem helpless to recover the hostage. The victim’s family and locals demanded the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Chief of Army Bridge ensure the safe recovery of Tasveer Hussain.

Tasveer Hussain reportedly travelled to Khushab for work from his house in Chung, eventually losing contact with his family and causing his son to report his disappearance. His son, cardiologist Tanweer Hussain, registered a complaint before police after the family received a call for ransom. The suspected kidnappers demanded a ransom of over Rs5 million at the time.

After registration of the case, police launched an investigation and traced the ransom call to a riverine area in South Punjab. Lahore DIG Investigations Sohail Akhtar Sukhera took notice of the incident. Police have not made any headway, with Tasveer still in captivity.

Kidnappings are common in the Kacha areas of South Punjab and Sindh and are a lucrative avenue for criminals to generate money. The decades-old method of honey-trapping people and kidnapping them for ransom has been adopted by these criminals and since September last year, at least five cases of abduction for ransom by suspects based in riverine areas were reported in the provincial capital.

Initially, kidnappers would target influential and wealthy personalities in adjoining districts and areas to lure them to their hide out and release them after receiving a ransom. However, with the passage of time, their methods evolved and kidnappers in kacha areas have been honey-trapping their victims.

The suspects lure the victims by offering monetary benefits, like a tractor for a cheap price, buying them live stock and other hollow promises. Women luring victims through building a romantic relationship and enticing them to visit the area has also been employed as a tactic for quite some time.

Over the years, the police has developed a specialized “Riverine Patrolling Force” to operate and build strongholds in the difficult terrain where access by personnel is nearly impossible.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2023.