QUETTA - Balochistan’s kidnapped cardiologist Dr Abdul Munaf Tareen reached home here on Sunday after remaining in captivity for about 75 days.
He was kidnapped by armed men from Quetta’s high security zone, Pishin Stop, on September 17 when he was on his way home.
According to police, Dr Tareen was recovered from Lasbela district, some 60 kilometers from Uthal city. “Kidnappers dropped Munaf in Gandacha area on the main national highway due to which he received injuries,” Bela SHO Jan Muhammad Jamot said, adding there were also marks of torture on his body.
Police shifted Munaf to the district headquarters hospital and then to Karachi from where he reached Quetta on Sunday.
Talking to media people, Dr Abdul Munaf Tareen said that the kidnappers dropped him at about 3:30am one mile away from Lasbela in a desolated area after which he phoned police. “I don’t know whether my release became possible after payment of ransom to kidnappers,” he added. His family sources said Dr Tareen had sustained injuries on offering resistance at the time of his abduction.
Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Balochistan chapter, had been protesting by observing token hunger strike and boycotting OPDs in state-run hospitals to press the authorities for early recovery of the kidnapped doctor.
The PMA had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court for safe recovery of Dr Tareen and other missing doctors. PMA Balochistan President Dr Sultan Tareen claimed that Rs 50 million were paid to kidnappers to secure the safe release of Dr Munaf Tareen. “There is no rule of law despite the presence of security agencies, police and other law-enforcement agencies in the province,” he remarked, adding the kidnapping of Dr Munaf was a slap on the face of law-enforcers.
He claimed that 31 doctors had been kidnapped and 18 doctors had become victim of target killing in Balochistan during 5 years while most of the doctors were released after payment of ransom. No doctor had been recovered with the efforts of the government, he added.
TWO KILLED IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS: Two people were killed and a woman was wounded in two separate incidents in the provincial capital on Sunday.
In the first incident, a man in Nosar, in the outskirts of Quetta, opened fire and killed one Muhammad Jan and seriously wounded his wife. He fled from the scene after committing the crime. Motive behind the incident is said to be a domestic row.
In the second incident, a dead body was recovered from Eastern Bypass area of Quetta and shifted to hospital by police.