Renowned writer Khalilur Rehman Qamar was allegedly tortured and looted during a brief abduction by armed men in Lahore earlier this week. The incident came to light on Sunday with the registration of a first information report (FIR) at the Sundar Police Station in Lahore, invoking sections 395 (punishment for dacoity) and 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the FIR, the incident began close to midnight on Monday, July 15, when Qamar received a call from an unknown number. The caller, identifying herself as Amna Urooj, introduced herself as a fan and expressed interest in making a TV drama with him. Invited to a meeting, Qamar arrived at the given location around 4:40 am, where he was led into the house by the woman.
Soon after he sat down, there was a knock on the door, and approximately seven armed men entered the room, conducted a body search, and confiscated Rs60,000, an iPhone 11, a Bank Al-Habib ATM card, and his national identity card. The FIR also mentions that over Rs200,000 was withdrawn from a separate Allied Bank account belonging to Qamar.
The kidnappers allegedly informed Qamar that they had orders to kill him and demanded a ransom of Rs10,000,000. When Qamar stated he did not have such funds, he was handed over to five other men who took him to an unknown location. There, they continued to demand more money, prompting Qamar to call a friend and request Rs1,000,000. However, his friend was unable to help, leading to further assault by the kidnappers before they left Qamar in a deserted place and fled.
The police are investigating the incident based on the details provided in the FIR. The case has drawn significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the victim and the brutal circumstances of the crime.