RIYADH, 14 September 2004 — Police freed a Pakistani hostage who was kidnapped from outside his house in one of Riyadh’s neighborhoods.
Investigation started when some Pakistani expatriates informed the police that their friend, Muhammad Ashraf, had called them to say that he was kidnapped and his captors were asking for a ransom of SR2,500. Police were able to arrest all members of the gang and save the hostage unharmed.
This is how Ashraf narrated the hostage drama to Al-Riyadh newspaper after he was rescued: “I was sitting in front of my house when a truck stopped and three people got out asking me what I was doing. I told them that I was simply sitting in front of my house. They asked me to pay SR500 and when I refused, they forced me inside their vehicle. They took me far away from my house.
“Once inside their hideout, they beat me and forced me to dance in front of them. They asked me to call my friends and tell them to bring SR2,500 or they would call the police and tell them that I was robbing their house. They wanted my friends to bring them food as well. My friends came and later called police who trapped the gang. I have lived in Saudi Arabia for 22 years and have never faced a problem like this.”
Early last month, police had freed two Indians who were kidnapped. The gang that kidnapped them demanded SR12,000 in ransom.
