By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Demanding the safe release of the abducted businessman, Awami National Party member and provincial assembly member Nisar Baz tabled a call-attention notice in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday and asked for a probe into the case of a trader missing from Landikotal a month ago, for whom a ransom has been demanded.
The notice was submitted by Awami National Party member parliamentarian Nisar Baz on the Assembly floor for debate and stated that the abductors have made phone calls and sent messages from the cell phone of the abducted trader demanding ransom for the release. The demand of the abductors was received through WhatsApp and demanded $300,000 as ransom for the release of the aged businessman Muhammad Zareef Shinwari.
Nisar Baz said family members received messages allegedly demanding $0.3 million for the trader’s release. He further mentioned that the messages have reportedly been received from the WhatsApp number of the abducted businessman Muhammad Zarif Shinwari, alias Landy Haji, who has remained missing for four weeks.
The alleged abduction of Landy Haji had sparked protests in Landikotal, where traders, political leaders and local residents staged a sit-in and blocked the Pak-Afghan highway at Charwazgay Chowk for two weeks, demanding his immediate and safe recovery.
The protesters had expressed serious concern over the businessman’s disappearance and said the incident had created a sense of insecurity among the local population and business community. They demanded that the government and security authorities take effective measures to recover him and arrest those responsible.
The road blockade caused disruption to traffic and commercial movement on the key Pak-Afghan route for two weeks. Protesters suspended the sit-in after the police and local administration officials’ assurance of safe release of the trader till September 1.
District Police Officer Khyber Waqar Ahmad told The News that efforts were continuing at different levels to secure his recovery. He said they were monitoring the received calls and voice notice to reach the hands behind the crime.
However, despite the passage of four weeks, Muhammad Zarif Shinwari has not yet recovered.
His family has urged the state authorities to intensify efforts for his immediate and safe recovery and bring the alleged abductors to justice.
Confirming the ransom demand for the release of trader Yaadullah Shinwari, Awami National Party leader and nephew of the abducted trader, told The News that they were receiving phone calls from a Pakistani cellular phone company demanding $ 0.3 million for the safe release of his paternal uncle. He said each time different persons talk to them via WhatsApp and demand huge money to pay. He said the deadline for the release had been over a day before, and Seyasi Etihad Landikotal chapter would hold a meeting today(Tuesday) and would chalk out further plans for the release of Zareef Shinwari.
