Farzana’s family pinning all hopes on SC for her recovery

ISLAMABAD: Despite lapse of almost one month of suo moto action taken by the chief justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan, Farzana remains unrecovered amid reports that her kidnappers in Afghanistan demand Rs1 million for her release.

Meanwhile, as against the initial investigations of the Rawalpindi Police, more incidents of kidnapping of young women have surfaced, both in Rawalpindi and Swabi. In these kidnappings, the same gang is found involved.

Muhammad Arshad, husband of Farzana, allegedly kidnapped by women trafficking gang, is pinning all his hopes on Supreme Court to initiate the hearing of suo moto case so his daughters could reunite with their mother after almost four months. However, contrary to the hopes of Arshad and his daughters, CPO Rawalpindi Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi while talking to The News said he has no updates about the recovery of Farzana.

“We are trying our level best for the safe recovery of Farzana but I cannot assure you when we will succeed. We are negotiating through unofficial sources with the kidnappers but I cannot give you any exact date,” commented the CPO.

Arshad on the other hand while talking to The News informed that he was called by the investigation officer of this case, who informed that the kidnappers are now demanding Rs1 million for her release. “The investigation officer called me on Thursday night to provide him the picture of Farzana as according to him they are leaving for Afghanistan for her recovery,” Arshad said.

However, when asked the same, the CPO Rawalpindi said he is not aware of this development, therefore, he cannot comment on this issue. He said he would be able to comment on any such questions when Farzana is recovered.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has made some new developments in the women trafficking case as they have registered an FIR against the main character of this gang “Budhi” under Section 371A PPC which is about kidnapping for prostitution. The FIR of the missing women has been registered in Swabi Police Station by complainant Taj Muhammad, son of Faqeer Muhammad, resident of Asoota Sharif, Parmoli, Tehsil Razar, district Swabi, on February 27, 2017. According to the complainant, the accused Gulab Zari alias Budhi has sold his wife to someone nine months ago by adopting the same method she did with Farzana.

According to police sources in Swabi, Taj Muhammad continuously pursued Budhi for the recovery of his wife and every time she promised him that she will be back soon. However, when he heard the news about arrest of Budhi, he decided to formally lodge an FIR against her. Police sources, however, claim that they have also carried out their investigations into this matter and came to know that the complainant himself was of a bad character and he sold his wife himself. He was told by Budhi that she will be back soon but due to his connivance by getting money from Budhi, he couldn’t complain in the police formally,” informed the police officials.

“The decision of lodging the FIR against Budhi was taken by him only when he knew this is the only mean for his wife’s recovery, otherwise he would have never approached police,” the sources said.

DPO Swabi Sohaib Ashraf while talking to The News initially confirmed that two new cases of missing women were reported to Swabi Police. However, he said only one person has registered the FIR against Budhi.

The CPO Rawalpindi was once again given reference of new cases in Swabi by the same gang, however, he said he has no concerns about any other cases as these did not happen in his area. Despite slow pace of investigation into this case, Arshad and his two younger daughters are still hopeful that the Supreme Court would initiate the case hearing and help them bringing Farzana back.