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Kidnapping for ransom on the rise as police appear clueless
 [Pak Daily Times] LAHORE: Despite a plethora of claims for the last few years, the Punjab government has failed to protect the lives and property of citizens. Heinous crimes such as kidnapping for ransom and robbery have been on the rise with Lahore alone recording 900 kidnapping cases in the first five months of this year. With an average of five people a day, criminals continued to abduct maidens of tender years, minor children, youth, government employees as well as traders of the city. Around 22 people were kidnapped and six killed including a child. Kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative business and is on the rise as law enforcers fail to recover the victims. This has left many families with no option but to pay ransom for the recovery of their loved ones. The crime rate has increased to an alarming level in all the six police divisions including Cantonment, Model Town, The City, Saddar, Iqbal Town and Civil Lines police division in the city despite the inflated claims of top bosses of city police on different occasions. Around 3,386 incidents of kidnapping were reported in 2012, in 2011, 2,954 were reported. Nine hundred cases of kidnapping were registered in city cop shoppes from January to May 2013. Around 36 incidents of kidnapping for ransom were reported in 2012, while the figure was 32 in 2011 and 31 in 2010. Two high profile personalities Dr Warren Weinstein, an American national and Shahbaz Taseer, the son of slain governor Salman Taseer were also kidnapped. A retired Wing Commander Iqbal was also kidnapped from Gazi Road Factory area on May 30, 2013. Police has registered the cases but have yet to recover the kidnapped. The City Division has registered five kidnapping cases including a case where the accused killed a six-year-old child Shahzeb and dumped his body in a drain. However, we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by... the kidnappers were jugged You have the right to remain silent... but the body has not been recovered so far. Tahir Azim, while going to his shop was kidnapped from Shadbagh area. Police started the paperwork but haven't done much else but he was only recovered after a payment of Rs 200,000 by his family. Investigation officer Iftikhar Rasool not only denied his failure to recover the victims but alleged that the incident was faked and dismissed the case. Furthermore, in Tibbi City police area, Naseer Khan was released after payment of Rs 500,000 ransom money. Abdul Gaffar's family also paid five hundred thousand in ransom after being kidnapped from Main Bus stop. Similarly in Shafiq Abad, four-year-old Husnain was released after a ransom amount of three hundred thousand rupees was paid. The kidnappers were arrested later on. Canadian national Ali Muhammad was kidnapped from Johar Town police jurisdiction and released after paying a handsome amount of 2.2 million rupees. The investigation officer was again Iftikahr Rasool who once again failed to act. In addition to this, cantonment division's victim, a businessman Kh Muhammad Jehangir paid 14.5 million rupees to kidnappers while investigation officer Fiaz ul Haq failed to track down the kidnappers. Posted by: Fred 2013-06-20 |
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