RAWALPINDI: A private contractor, who was kidnapped from Gulraiz Colony for a ransom of Rs10 million by unidentified people, was further sold to a splinter group of militants in Khyber Agency, police sources said on Thursday.
Saifur Rehman, a contractor from Gulraiz Colony was taken to Peshawar by one of his friends, Abdullah Khan, on May 21.
After reaching Peshawar, Abdullah Khan called the contractor’s family and informed them that Saif had been kidnapped and demanded Rs10 million ransom.
Police sources said once the kidnapper demanded random, a case was registered with the Airport police.
Beside Abdullah Khan, another man Saeed Khan was also identified as an accomplice in the kidnapping.
Inspector Raja Musaddiq, who is leading the investigation, revealed that the kidnappers were demanding Rs10 million. However, after negotiations, they reduced their demand to Rs1.2 million for the release of the abducted person, the inspector said.
According to Inspector Musaddiq, the suspects involved in the kidnapping have been arrested from Peshawar, however, efforts are underway through political agents to recover the abducted contractor as apparently Saifur Rehman has been sold to a group from Khyber Agency, who have links with militants.
“Saifur Rehman was sold for Rs80,000 to a person called Aslam, who has links with a group of Taliban in Khyber Agency,” the inspector said, adding that though the two persons involved in the kidnapping have been arrested, the victim is yet to be recovered.
Meanwhile, another building contractor was kidnapped by some unidentified persons from Chaklala Housing Scheme III on Thursday night, police said.
Raja Suleman, was on his way home when four persons intercepted in him in a car. He was dragged into the vehicle by the occupants, who later disappeared in the dark.
Shortly after he was kidnapped, the police was notified by his family. The police at all entry and exit points of the city were alerted, however, there was no clue of the victim till the filing of this report. The police said that the contractor did not have any enmity nor had he received any extortion threats.
Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2014