Islamabad lawyer abducted by men impersonating CTD officials returns home

• An Islamabad lawyer was abducted from his home on Saturday, the police said.
• The lawyer told the police that he was kidnapped “by mistake”.
• He thanked the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for taking up his case on an official court holiday
  

ISLAMABAD: A lawyer in Islamabad who was abducted by a group of kidnappers from his residence two days ago has safely returned home, Geo News reported on Monday.

The lawyer told the police that he was kidnapped “by mistake” and was dropped off near a temple after the kidnappers realised this. From there, the lawyer said he went back home by public transport.

In a video message after his release, the lawyer thanked the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for taking up his case on an official court holiday.

“I am very grateful to [IHC] Chief Justice Athar Minallah. He heard my case and took immediate action on a holiday,” the lawyer said, extending his gratitude to the High Court Bar and District Bar associations for raising a voice against his abduction.

Read more: Committee probing Okara woman lawyer's kidnapping, torture terms claims 'baseless'

The court has so far sought a reply from the Islamabad administration for the recovery of the lawyer.

The IHC CJ will hear the case today at 1:00pm.

Case registered

Tarnol police have registered a case under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against unknown people and an investigation has started.

According to the written complaint lodged by a former serviceman, armed men kidnapped his son, who is a lawyer by profession, at 2:30am from his house near Tarnol.

The father said an armed man identified himself as DSP Tariq of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) when asked who it is on the intercom.

"He said he wanted to meet my son. I opened the door after getting consent from my son. When I opened the door, 10 people were standing with that person who introduced himself as DSP Tariq. However, three people accompanying the DSP entered the house and sat in the living room to wait for my son," the lawyer's father said.

Read more: Committee probing Okara woman lawyer's kidnapping, torture terms claim 'baseless'

"As I left for my son's room to inform him about the visitors, the leader [of the gang] followed me," the father narrated.

"In the meantime, four more people came into my son’s room and started questioning him. Finally, they asked him to accompany them and took his laptop, cellphone, and wallet" he continued.

The father said he was told that they would send his son back after some time, but he didn’t get back home the next morning.

The case has been assigned to the Superintendent of Police (SP) Crime Investigation Agency (CIA).