FBR officer abducted from Rawalpindi
A Grade 18 officer of the Inland Revenue Service of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been abducted from Rawalpindi.
Kidnappers have abducted grade 18 officer, Rehmatullah Khan and are holding him for ransom. The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of Rs10 million from the FBR officer's family.
An FIR has been registered for the kidnapping of FBR officer. The FIR has been filed by Muhammad Shafiq, the brother-in-law of the abductee. The Express Tribune has obtained a copy of the FIR.
According to the FIR, Inland Revenue Service Grade 18 officer Rehmatullah Khan is posted at the FBR headquarters. He was abducted by unknown persons at 11:30am on April 12.
Khan had left the house saying that he was going to congratulate his friends on Eid but failed to return. Despite his family’s attempts to locate him, he could not be traced.
Muhammad Shafiq, the brother-in-law of the abductee communicated that all efforts had been made to contact and trace the victim, but due to his mobile phone being switched off since April 12, no contact could be established with Khan.
However, Shafiq did report that when Khan’s phone next connected, he had received a call from a Sindhi-speaking person asking for a ransom of Rs10 million. The abductors said that Rehmatullah Khan was in their custody in the katcha area of Ghotki.
The early recovery of the abducted officer is a challenge for the FBR chairman, as the abduction of an FBR officer has caused great anxiety among other officers.
The abduction case will adversely affect all other officers and officials who are playing a key role in tax collection in all the field offices.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2024.