ISLAMABAD - A trader was kidnapped in the wee hours of Friday from the federal capital.
The incident could lead to a strike by the business community of Islamabad for failure of Islamabad capital territory police to ensure safety of businessmen. Tahir Hamid, President Money Exchanger Association of Islamabad, fell prey to the unidentified kidnappers in the wee hours of Friday when the he was supposed to heading towards his home.
According to an official source, police could only knew about Tahir’s abduction after they found his luxury BMW car bearing registration no HU-400, parked along roadside on 9th Avenue at 4:00 a.m. Following the incident, Margalla Police Station registered an FIR under section 365 regarding the incident and started investigation.
“We have registered FIR of the incident and started investigation,” an officer on duty in Margalla police station told TheNation when contacted.
The incident of abduction occurred only a couple of weeks after the traders and money changers of the federal capital through a press conference drew attention of the administration to growing number of robbery and kidnapping incidents in the federal capital Islamabad. A wave of fear and anger spread across the business community following the incident of abduction of Tahir Hamid.
“We have already told Islamabad police that business community was target of kidnappers nowadays and requested the high-ups of Islamabad police to take steps for foolproof security and safety of businessmen. But they situation remains the same,” an angry businessman told TheNation requesting anonymity due to the fear of reaction from the police.
A meeting with members of business community of Blue Area revealed on Friday that federal capital’s business hub Blue Area has been left at the mercy of dacoits and kidnappers while the capital police, despite repeated calls made to them for ensuring safety, have badly failed to provide security to them.
It is important to mention here that representatives of business community of various sectors of Islamabad including Islamabad Moneychangers Association, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Islamabad Welfare Association and Traders’ Welfare Union shared their problem with media men on 11 June, 2012, during a press conference held in National Press Club Islamabad. The businessmen complained of inadequate security measures taken by police and requested the police high-ups to ensure safety of businessmen.
Despite drawing attention of police high ups for need of enhanced security, woes of business community of Islamabad continue. Kidnapping of businessmen in Islamabad is relatively increasing.
On 8th June, dacoits deprived two employees of a moneychanger ‘Royal King Enterprises’ of Rs3 million at gunpoint near Kulsoom Plaza.
On May 9, 2012, unidentified people kidnapped a trader from Jinnah Super Market who was later on recovered on 22 May. And now another trader fell prey to kidnappers last night (in the wee hours of Thursday).
Last year, around 104 women and children were kidnapped from jurisdiction of different police stations of Islamabad capital territory.
Businessmen community alleges that Islamabad police seems only working for the protection of the elite. On the other hand, the businessmen along with the ordinary citizen suffers have been left on the mercy of dacoits, car lifters and kidnappers.