Kidnapping-for-ransom cases on the rise in Karachi

* Most cases of abduction take place in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gadap, Bin Qasim Town

By Atif Raza

KARACHI: Kidnapping for ransom has become an easiest way to get money.

According to details, the trend of kidnapping for ransom has risen frequently in the commercial hub of the country, Karachi, where majority of people are paying ransom for release of their dear ones.

Sources privy to the matter said that the areas, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Shah Latif Town, Gadap Town and Bin Qasim Town are hit by this menace.

It is pertinent to mention here that most cases of kidnapping have been taking place in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gadap Town and Bin Qasim Town.

Sources in Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) revealed that the majority of the families declined to register the case and also restrained police interference for recovery of victims.

They pointed out that there are two kinds of kidnapping gangs operating in the city. The major groups are operating from interior Sindh, where such sort of group has been operating since long. The currently emerging groups are affiliated with different terrorist organisations.

The sources revealed that a few of the groups were locally operating while many of them were circumstantial group formed because of poverty. They said that intercity groups were usually taking the victims to their hometowns, where accessibility of law enforcers is limited because of the tribal system.

It is pertinent to mention here that the agencies, particularly dealing with the cases of the kidnapping for ransom remain incapable to resolve the issue due to lack of equipment essential to track down the terrorist groups.

The sources pointed out that the disciplinary institutions had an authority and the mechanism to track down cellular calls and locations, but those institutions did not allow relevant authorities to install the tracking mechanism and to contact directly Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.

CPLC sources said a total of five persons' kidnapping cases were registered out of three reached home after paying ransom, one was got freed by CPLC and AVCC and other was still missing.

Some 106 cases of kidnapping were registered last year. In 2002-2011 period, a total of 879 cases of kidnapping were registered. In 2002, as many as 25 people were kidnapped while in 2003, some 33 people were abducted. In 2004, the number of abductees was around 39 while in 2005, the number hit 39. In 2006, the number of kidnapped people declined to 28 and in 2007, this ratio doubled with 64. The 2008 also showed increase as 92 people were abducted and in 2009, this number was 85 while in 2010, this number crossed 112 and in 2011, some 125 people were kidnapped.

It may be noted that different sorts of modus operandi were used by bandits for kidnapping for ransom. One of the doctors was kidnapped recently while he was on his way to home in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, when a car hit another car accidentally on the National Highway.

The doctor said on anonymity, "I applied brake as they hit my car when they kidnapped me at gunpoint and took to an unknown location where they dumped me for 20 days and started calling for Rs5 million ransom. My family avoided the risk and paid Rs0.5 million for my release after longstanding negotiations."

registered kidnappingS

2002 25

2003 33

2004 39

2005 39

2006 28

2007 64

2008 92

2009 85

2010 112

2011 125

Total 879

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