Poor protection: Shopkeeper kidnapped from market

“There are no police patrols in the area and militants are free to do whatever they want,” says an elder.

PESHAWAR: Shaukat, a resident of Sheikhan, was kidnapped by armed men from his shop on Tuesday. Local elders said the kidnappers pulled up to the market place in the afternoon and abducted the shopkeeper at gun point. They criticised area police for not noticing the incident, claiming officials do not leave their posts and patrol the area under their jurisdiction. “There are no police patrols in the area and militants are free to do whatever they want,” said one elder. According to residents, Shaukat is very poor and they fear his kidnappers will ask for an exorbitant ransom, as high as Rs1 million, which the victim may not be able to afford. They added in the past three months, police have not been patrolling the area – even in the daytime.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2014.