Friends turn kidnappers, murder man after taking ransom

Police have arrested two close friends of a young man who was allegedly kidnapped and brutally murdered in Steel Town area, recovering his body from Chhatri Ground in Bin Qasim after tracing the suspects through geofencing and technical intelligence.

Zain-ul-Abideen, a resident of Steel Town, went missing near his home on October 14. His father, Muhammad Khan, told police that unidentified individuals subsequently threw a bag into their house containing the victim's national identity card, smart phone, ATM card, motorcycle documents, a slipper and an empty wallet. His keypad phone, which he regularly used, was missing.

According to police, the family received a call from the missing man's keypad phone during the night between October 14 and 15. The callers allegedly demanded ransom for his release, making the disappearance appear to be a kidnapping for money.

SSP Malir Investigation Police Fahmida Abbasi told The Express Tribune that the case stemmed from a dispute between friends and that the murder had apparently been staged as a ransom kidnapping. She said investigators cracked the case with the help of geofencing and technical support.