Pakistan: 20-year-old law student kidnapped in defence area, returns home

South Zone DIG Sharjeel Kharal's office has confirmed that Dua Mangi, the 20-year law student who was kidnapped from the Defence Housing Authority in Karachi last week has returned home on December 7. Dua was abducted under suspicious circumstances on November 30. The student is the niece of famous Sindhi language poet and columnist, Aijaz Mangi and was reportedly kidnapped by armed men near a restaurant in the area. Haris Fatah, a friend of Dua was also shot at and wounded by the kidnappers. 

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Earlier on December 5, DIG Kharal had said: "It appears to be a case of kidnapping for ransom".

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Dua Mangi's abduction is the second case in Karachi's upscale area

Earlier, people in Karachi hit the streets and staged a protest against the police demanding justice for Dua. Dua's abduction is the second incident that has occurred in the upscale neighborhood. Security officials suspected the involvement of a new sophisticated gang of kidnappers believed to be active in the area. There were four gunmen involved in Dua's kidnapping. A young girl, Bisma, was kidnapped also by four armed men in May 2019. Kharal assured that further investigations will continue to get hold of the culprits. Karachi Police had lodged an FIR for the incident naming at least four unidentified persons. The men who kidnapped Dua had used a car that was previously stolen from the city's PECHS area, officials said.

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Reports claim probable involvement of ransom, family denies 

Several reports claim that the kidnappings involve ransom and that the girls were returned after the amount was paid. Links were also drawn to the previous reports based on the earlier kidnapping which involved ransom. Yet an Indian news agency has reported that the family of the girl had denied rumors of receiving a ransom call and had criticized Sindh Police and the provincial government for their failure in recovering the abducted girl. 

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(With inputs from agencies)