Hindu trader abducted in Dera Murad Jamali

QUETTA: The business community staged a protest against the abduction of a Hindu trader from Dera Murad Jamali, holding a sit-in at DC Chowk and blocking the National Highway that links Sindh and Balochistan.

According to details, on Saturday, eight armed men abducted a well-known Hindu trader, Seetal Kumar, near Goth Kathoher within the jurisdiction of the Mangoli Police Station.

In response, the business community launched a protest and blocked the National Highway, disrupting traffic between Sindh and Balochistan. Protesters issued an 18-hour ultimatum to the police, demanding the safe recovery of the kidnapped trader, warning that otherwise, they would begin an indefinite protest in Dera Murad Jamali.

Shahid Rind, spokesperson for the government of Balochistan, said Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had taken strict notice of the incident. He described the abduction as extremely concerning and assured that all available resources were being used to ensure Seetal Kumar’s safe recovery.

He added that police and law enforcement agencies were fully active, and positive progress was expected soon. Rind emphasised that those responsible would be brought to justice and warned that no one would be allowed to take law into their hands.

He further stated that protecting the lives and property of citizens is the top priority of the Balochistan government and that Chief Minister Bugti had issued clear instructions for strict action against individuals involved in criminal activities.

Former provincial minister for the Board of Revenue Balochistan, Mir Sikandar Ali Khan Umrani, also strongly condemned the abduction. He said that following incidents of theft, robbery, and looting, the rise in kidnappings in Naseerabad was alarming.

He noted that deep concern had spread among the Hindu community and the business sector following the abduction. Criticising the police, Umrani said they had failed to maintain law and order and protect citizens’ lives and property.

Speaking to journalists, he said that the public was feeling increasingly insecure and warned that if solid and effective measures were not taken to restore peace, they reserved the right to protest alongside the people.

Umrani said the recent wave of unrest had deeply disappointed and worried the people of Naseerabad. Expressing strong condemnation of Seetal Kumar’s abduction, he urged the police to take coordinated and effective actions to restore peace, stressing that no citizen should be left at the mercy of criminals. He pledged to continue fighting for the protection of the public’s rights and safety.