KARACHI: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt General Asim Bajwa Tuesday disclosed that a splinter group of the Taliban was involved in the abduction of Barrister Awais Ali Shah.
The military spokesperson told reporters Shah was recovered at the Tank-DI Khan road, adding that the intelligence-based operation was conducted at 2:00-2:30am.
“He (Awais) was in a blue-coloured vehicle that was stopped by security personnel at a checkpost. The abductors, however, swerved the car onto the divider and drove the vehicle towards the other side of the road.”
Bajwa said an army sniper shot dead the driver of the vehicle, adding that two other persons were also killed. He said Awais Shah was blindfolded, with his hands and feet chained and tape across his mouth.
“The abductors wanted to transport Awais to Afghanistan,” said the military spokesperson. He added that security forces had technical evidence of Awais Shah’s presence in the area since the last three days.
To date, Bajwa said, 19,800 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) have been conducted by the army. He also lauded Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for playing its part in the recovery operation.
Justice Sajjad thanks army chief for son’s recovery
Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, thanked Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif for ensuring the safe return of his son Awais Ali Shah.
“General Raheel Sharif called me at three in the morning and informed me that my son had been recovered,” he said. “It was kind of General Raheel Sharif to allow me to speak to my son and then also arrange for his return to Karachi.”
Shah was abducted on June 20 from Clifton area of Karachi. According to officials, Shah had left Sindh High Court for Clifton to meet a friend, but did not reach there and his phone remained switched off. Later it was confirmed that he had been kidnapped.
