In a brazen incident on January 21 at 1:30 p.m, armed individuals forcibly abducted Amir Altaf Shah, a resident of Zulfiqar Abad, Pak-occupied Gilgit in his late 70s, after knocking on his door. The family and neighbors, who were witnesses to the event, saw Shah being coerced into a car and taken away at gunpoint, as detailed in the FIR. Land grab is suspected to be the cause of abduction
Despite 24 hours passing since the abduction, Amir Altaf Shah remains missing. The FIR contains information about the kidnappers, but authorities have yet to locate the elderly man. In response to the kidnapping, outraged neighbors and community members have blocked Zulfiqar Abad Road, demanding the swift recovery of the elderly gentleman and the overall safety of Pak-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan citizens.
Meanwhile, Hasan Ali Shah, the son of the victim, took to Twitter to identify the alleged kidnapper, Naseem, who happens to be the son of DIG retd Wasal Khan from Darel. Hasan revealed, ‘They are demanding land as ransom to release my father.’ This disturbing abduction and its subsequent developments point to malicious actions in the valley, where the land of local Kashmiris is being forcefully taken away.
Abductor mocking law and order machinery
Hasan also shared a screenshot, a social media post by the perpetrator, where he purportedly mocks the legal system and threatens to abduct Hasan’s mother as well. The perpetrator claims that anyone attempting to reclaim their land will face consequences.
Despite 48 hours passing since the abduction and the identification of the alleged perpetrator, no action has been taken, and the victim remains unrecovered.
Notably, a primary concern for native Kashmiris in Pak occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB) has been the encroachment and seizure of their land. Mafias, colluding with the occupying police and administration, persistently encroach upon the lands of Kashmiris, leaving them vulnerable. All of this unfolds at the behest of the Pakistan Army, which seems intent on keeping the region embroiled in existential problems, allowing them to control the area and exploit its resources.