Death of Kunduz businessman raises alarm over kidnapping

KUNDUZ (PAN):  A businessman who went missing for more than a month was found dead in northern Kunduz province on Thursday, triggering fear among local business community of their safety due to rising  kidnappings.

The businessman, Muhammad Sadiq, went missing after the fourth day of Eid al-Adha in late October on Kundaz-Sherkhan Bundar road and his body was found in Tapahay Dishat Abdan area of central Kunduz.

A local business man Haji Gul Muhammad told Pajhwok Afghan News that the victim was a resident of Khatkoni area and he had no enmity with anyone.

He was just a businessman importing goods from Tajikistan and was shot dead and the responsible persons should be arrested.

Another trader Muhammad Afzal said such killings paint a negative picture on the business community and they would not invest money in businesses in such conditions.

Kunduz police chief spokesman Syed Sarwar Hussani said police have taken special measures for the security of businessmen and they would continue to protect the traders in the future.

Hussani said they arrested a four-member gang that was involved in the kidnapping of a businessman and a lady doctor’s son. Police managed to free both the victims from the clutches of the abductors.

In Herat province, police chief Col. Agha Gul Alham said victim Muhammad Hashim, a police officer, serving at the fourth police station was shot dead by unknown gunmen on motorcycle on Wednesday night.

In other incident, a roadside bomb planter was killed by security forces in Herat.

The 207 Zafar Corps spokesman Col.Najebullah Najibi said that the Afghan National Army members killed one of the militants and wounded two others while they were trying to plant bombs.

nz/vp

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