Kidnappers flee leaving behind car following intense exchange of fire with Attock police
\n Hassan Abdal
\nIn a dramatic turn of events, the Punjab police successfully recovered the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan\u2019s lawyer, Intezar Hussain Panjutha, following a shootout with alleged kidnappers in Hassan Abdal.
\nThe development too place late Saturday night when personnel of the Attock police stopped a suspicious vehicle during a routine check. According to the police spokesperson, the vehicle was carrying a \u201cgang of kidnappers\u201d with an abductee.
\nUpon being intercepted, the kidnappers opened indiscriminate fire on the police. However, they fled upon retaliation by the police party, leaving behind the car with a man trussed-up inside.
\nThe police safely recovered the abductee, who turned out to be the PTI founder\u2019s counsel, the police spokesman confirmed.
\nLater, Panjutha was shifted to a hospital for medical treatment, where he revealed that he was severely tortured by the kidnappers. He said he was picked up from Islamabad on October 8 for a ransom worth Rs20 million.
\n\u201cThe abductors communicated in Pashto and I was unable to understand the conversations. They kept me tied up till Saturday evening,\u201d Panjutha said, recounting that he was being moved continuously for three to four hours.
\n\u201cI had no idea where they had brought me or how far they had travelled,\u201d he added.
\nThe police said they an investigation is underway to identify the individuals behind the abduction.
\nThe former prime minister\u2019s lawyer had been missing since 8 October. A case regarding his disappearance is sub judice in Islamabad High Court (IHC)
\nIHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq was told during a recent hearing that efforts for Panjutha\u2019s recovery were underway.
\nAttorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan assured the court that Panjutha would be back by the same time the next day.
\nThe CJ remarked that if Panjutha is found, there will be no need for further appearances, but if not, the AGP will have to return for the next session.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kidnappers flee leaving behind car following intense exchange of fire with Attock police Hassan Abdal In a dramatic turn of events, the Punjab police successfully recovered the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan\u2019s lawyer, Intezar Hussain Panjutha, following a shootout with alleged kidnappers in Hassan Abdal. The development too place late Saturday night when personnel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":441374,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-441361","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n