PESHAWAR- A delegation of Kohat journalists called on the deputy inspector-general of police, Kohat region, on Saturday and lodged a protest against the kidnapping of Dawn correspondent Abdul Sami Paracha from his house on April 18, 2003 by a gang.

They informed him that earlier a local journalist was also asked by those implicated in this incident to pay a fine of Rs50,000 for publishing a story against them and that the group was involved in kidnapping for ransom and extortion of money from the business community.

The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) has suspended an ASDI and two constables in connection with the case.

An First Information Report (FIR) had been lodged against the kidnappers in the Jangle Khel police station under the anti-terrorist act for kidnapping, maltreatment, extortion of money, harassment and abusing an innocent citizen to prevent him from performing his duty.

Source: Dawn
Date:4/20/2003