A fair trade?: Kidnappers offer to swap abductee with arrested accomplices

The manager of a pharmaceutical company was kidnapped on Tuesday.

SUKKUR: The manager of a pharmaceutical company will only be freed if the police ensure the release of the kidnappers' arrested partners in crime.

Muhammad Hussain Pathan, the manager of a pharmaceutical company and a resident of Sukkur, was on his way to Larkana in his car when he was intercepted by unidentified men at the Sukkur Bypass on Tuesday. The men whisked him away, leaving behind the car which was later taken into custody by the police.

Police officials claimed that the kidnappers called the wife of the kidnapped person and gave her a message for the police authorities. They demanded that the police release their arrested accomplices to ensure the safe recovery of her husband.



After tracing the mobile phone numbers, the police raided Bachal Shah Miani and other areas late Tuesday night and arrested some suspects who are currently under interrogation, said officials.

According to Sukkur SSP Tanveer Hussain Tunio, the person who called Pathan's wife introduced himself as a Jatoi tribesman. He specified that he wanted the kidnappers arrested during the operation conducted in the katcha area of Bagarji to be released, said Tunio.

Tunio said that the police will never accept the demands of the criminals. "If we start releasing arrested criminals in exchange of kidnapped persons, it will not only harm our reputation but will also encourage the criminals."

"I will not allow them to manipulate the situation in their favour," he said. "Instead, I am going to eliminate them at any cost. I am not here to fulfil illegitimate demands of the outlaws."

According to him, the police have almost identified the kidnappers and are not going to spare them.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2014.