HAFIZABAD - With another abduction of a young man in Norozepur area on Thursday, kidnappings for ransom in the district are ballooning out of control.
Liaquat Ali Tarar was heading towards his workplace on Lahore-Sargodha Road when unidentified men intercepted him and took him to an undisclosed location. Tarar worked for the Crescent Bahu Maan Mills as a supervisor.
According to his uncle Imdadullah, the abductors have demanded Rs1.5 million ransom. He said they sent an SMS from his nephew’s cellphone. Police are investigating.
Meanwhile, Sukheke police have so far failed to trace Muhammad Yameen, son of a rice miller, was abducted the other day. His family members said his captors demanded Rs50 million as ransom. According to a source, one Kashif Ali alias Kashi, a proclaimed offender of Salaar Bhattian, Sheikhupura, is the ringleader of the abductors gang that had kidnapped two persons during January last and extorted huge sum as ransom. The police are unable to arrest him as he is being patronised by some big guns.
Businessmen of the All-Mandi Towns have appealed to the IGP and chief minister to take stringent measures to arrest the abductors gangs.
SPORTS CAN HELP DEFEAT DRUG MENACE: Former federal parliamentary secretary Ch Afzal Hussain Tarar stressed on the importance of recreational activities among the students to save the youth from the menace of drugs.
Talking to the media at the inaugural ceremony of Inter-UC Kabaddi tournament, Afzal Hussain said that the Punjab government was taking all possible measures to promote sports in the province. He urged the parents to encourage children to participate in sporting events to promote healthy activities.
SAFETY GEAR DEMANDED: While addressing Safety Seminar under the auspices of Pakistan Hydro-Electric Central Labour Union Gepco Hafizabad Division, Chairman Abdul Raza Mughal and Secretary Malik Shafqat Mahmood stressed upon the line staff for using safety measures while rectifying defects to save their own lives.
They said that line staff either lost their lives or disabled permanently every year due to poor standard of safety equipment and lack of observance of precautionary measures. They urged the government to provide free education and employment to the dependents of line staff who lost their lives while performing duties.