Dr Tareen freed after 78 days of captivity

QUETTA: Two months and a hefty payment later, Dr Munaf Tareen was recovered from the Othal area of Balochistan on Sunday following his abduction from outside his hospital in Quetta in September.

After being paid a reported Rs50 million in ransom, kidnappers freed Dr Tareen in the early hours of Sunday in the Welpat vicinity of Bela, a deserted area about 60 kilometres from Othal.

Dr Munaf, who is in his late 60s, was kept in captivity for 78 days and walked about six kilometres to reach the Bela police station the day of his release.

“Dr Munaf Tareen is sick and his feet are bruised,” said District Police Officer (DPO) Lasbela Ahmed Nawaz Cheema. “He has been shifted to Karachi for medical attention and then will be taken back to Quetta.”

Cheema quoted Dr Tareen as saying, “I was kept for  12 days in a room somewhere in Quetta and was later taken to a deserted place near Khuzdar and Kalat, about 200 to 300 kilometres from Quetta. My captors talked in Balochi and Pashto.”

A close relative of Dr Tareen, Dawood told reporters that the kidnappers had severely tortured him and kept him in a dark room.

Talking to the media, Tareen said that he knew nothing about the pre-release dialogue. “I reached my home and am happy to reunite with my family and friends after a period of two-and-a-half months.”

The general secretary of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) said the body had filed a petition in the Supreme Court for the safe recovery of Dr Tareen and other missing doctors.

“The Supreme Court assured us on November 27 that the cardiologist will be recovered within a few days,” said Dr Faiz Hashmi.

He added that doctors will end the boycott of Outdoor Patient Departments (OPDs) at all state-run hospitals but will continue the hunger strike until Dr Din Mohammed Marri and Dr Akbar Marri are recovered.  The doctors have been boycotting OPDs for 17 days in protest against frequent abductions in the province.

Dr Tareen was kidnapped by armed men on September 17, in front of his hospital at the Pishin Bus Stop, Quetta.

Many doctors like Tareen run their private hospitals and clinics in Quetta where patients come not only from other parts of the province but also from war-torn Afghanistan.

On October 5, an anti-terrorism force had conducted an operation at Chaman Road, Gulistan after receiving information on his alleged abductors. During the raid, the kidnappers had opened fire at the forces, which led to a standoff. One security operative was killed and several others were injured. Dr Tareen, however, was not recovered.

Your money or your life

The President of the Balochistan chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association, Sultan Tareen claimed on Sunday that an amount of Rs50 million was paid to kidnappers as ransom to secure the release of the kidnapped doctor.

He said that the ongoing protests would continue until the provision of complete security to doctors in the province.

The general body meeting of doctors will take place today (Monday) at Sandeman Hospital where they are expected to announce a course of action following the release of Dr Tareen. It is expected that doctors will announce an end to their OPD boycott and continue their hunger strike.

Talking to the media after Tareen’s release, Dr Sultan said that previously the abducted doctors were released only after big payments and that there was a serious need for protection from the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2013.