Police in Karachi have registered a kidnapping case on judicial intervention after the abduction of a prominent businessman from Karachi, his lawyer said on Saturday.
Zulfiqar Ahmed, the owner of Next Cola, which has been promoted as an alternative to Coca-Cola amid a boycott over allegations of supporting Israel’s war on Gaza, was kidnapped on July 23 after leaving his office in the city.
Ahmed, who is also the managing director of Paracha Textile Mills and Mezan Group, was taken when his white Toyota Surf was intercepted by eight armed men. The kidnappers also abducted one of Ahmed’s friends, who was later released.
Ahmed’s friend shared details of the incident, leading the businessman’s family and company management to submit an application at the Kalri police station the same day. However, the police initially refused to register a complaint, prompting the family to seek intervention from the Sindh High Court, which ordered the police to lodge the case on Friday.
“The news [of Ahmed’s abduction] somehow gained traction on social media,” said Mian Ali Ashfaq, the counsel representing Ahmed’s family. “After the social media spotlight on the court order and my protest, my team of office associates went to the police station, where, after four hours, the FIR [First Information Report] was finally registered and a copy was provided to us by Friday afternoon.”
People widely shared news of Ahmed’s abduction on social media, urging authorities to take action for his release.
Asad Raza, deputy inspector-general (DIG) of police in Karachi’s southern district where the incident occurred, denied allegations of police inaction.
“It is immaterial whether the FIR was registered instantly or after one day’s delay,” he said. “We started working on the case when the abduction took place.”
Ashfaq stated that the high court had issued notices to respondents and scheduled a hearing for Tuesday.
“We hope that Zulfiqar Ahmed will be recovered and reunited with the family before the next hearing,” he added.
Karachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho announced on Friday that two “high-powered” teams were investigating the case.
“A high-powered team, under the supervision of the DIG of the CIA [Crime Investigation Agency], and another under the DIG of the area, are working on it,” he said. “I am confident this case will be resolved soon.”
The situation was further complicated after Friday’s court ruling when two senior staff members associated with Next Cola were also picked up from Lahore and Kasur a day earlier.
Ashfaq mentioned that a petition would be filed in the Lahore High Court for their recovery.
“Hassan Nawaz, Deputy General Manager of Finance at Meezan Beverage, was picked up from Lahore, and Danial Afzal Khan, General Manager at Meezan Beverage, was abducted from Kasur by armed men in white double-cabin vehicles,” he said.
Launched in 2016, Next Cola struggled to gain traction until the war in Gaza, which began last October and resulted in the deaths of over 39,000 people, mostly women and children. Since then, the brand has gained greater visibility in supermarkets and wedding halls across Pakistan.
