Eight-year-old rescued as police bust human trafficking ring

Clifton police claim to have busted a human trafficking ring and recovered an eight-year-old girl who had been kidnapped from the limits of Boat Basin police station.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Clifton Division SP Tauqeer Muhammad Naeem said that the suspects Nazar Muhammad and his wife Nazeeran had kidnapped Laraib, 8, a week ago and had demanded Rs200,000 in ransom.

Laraib’s father Fida Hussain registered an FIR against Nazar and his wife on January 25, said Naeem. He added that on the directives of the SSP for District South, a team was formed under the supervision of Clifton ASP, to trace and rescue the girl.

The cop said that the team managed to find Laraib and rescue her while the couple who had abducted her was arrested. SP Naeem later told The News that Nazar had rented the upper portion of Fida Hussain’s house and had kidnapped Laraib when they moved out.

He added that initial investigation had revealed that the suspects were associated with a human trafficking network and had abducted several other children before the little girl. The trafficking network sought ransom in return for releasing the kids and if the parents failed to pay, then the children were pushed into begging or prostitution, he said.

According to Naeem, police traced the suspects and found out that they were in Sehwan Sharif. The team then raided their hideout and recovered Laraib.