Pak: Kidnappings surge in Rahim Yar Khan; dacoits target Hindu minorities, business community

Rahim Yar Khan (Punjab) [Pakistan], October 6 : After a month of inactivity, gangsters from the Katcha region in Pakistan have resumed their operations, kidnapping three individuals--two of whom are Hindus--during two separate incidents on Friday night.
The dacoits abducted two Hindus, Shameer Jee and Dheema Jee, from their home in the Kalywali area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Bhong police. The attackers broke into their residence and took them to the Katcha region, according to a report from Dawn.
Kabul Sukhani, the leader of the Sukhani Gang, who has a bounty of Rs 10 million on his head, has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings. Reports indicate that the dacoits have released a video featuring the hostages, demanding the release of an accomplice currently held by the police. They have warned that the hostages will only be freed if their accomplice is released, threatening to harm them if their demands are not met.
Another individual, Saleem Niazi, was abducted on Friday night near Masoo Mor in the Muradpur region, which is also under the jurisdiction of the Machka police. The suspects fired shots, injuring a motorcyclist near Adam Sahaba in Sadiqabad before fleeing with his bike. The injured motorcyclist was later transported to a hospital by Rescue 1122.
Minorities in Pakistan face significant challenges that impact their daily lives, safety, and prospects. Three days ago, two individuals from Municipal Colony Sadiqabad, Asif and Bilal, went missing and are believed to be held in a dacoit hideout located in the Khair Muhammad Jhuk area near the Indus River, Dawn reported.
In the last 30 days, 12 individuals have been kidnapped from various locations in Rahim Yar Khan, raising alarms among residents, businesspeople, and politicians about the rising incidence of ransom-related abductions. The Katcha dacoits are now employing honey traps and directly abducting victims from streets and residential neighbourhoods.
Reports further indicate that within the Sadiqabad Police jurisdiction, 12 people were kidnapped over the past month, but police have only managed to recover four hostages so far. One abductee was killed after ransom demands were not met, while seven others, including two Hindus, remain in captivity.
Meanwhile, Iqbal Hafeez, President of the Rahim Yar Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed his concerns in a video statement, highlighting the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in the district, Dawn reported.
He condemned the escalating threat of extortion from dacoits, emphasizing that it is the government's responsibility to ensure a safe environment for traders and industrialists. Hafeez noted that half of the industrialists who relocated to the RYK Industrial Estate from Karachi and other areas have since left due to the increasing insecurity.