01:49 PM
IS Affiliate Involved in Kidnapping of 9-Year-Old Child, Body Later Recovered Senior Pakistani officials have claimed that an affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) was involved in the kidnapping and killing of 9-year-old Musawir Khan Kakar, who was abducted from Quetta on November 15 last year. According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Quetta, Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of $12 million from the victim's family. The police and intelligence agencies launched a coordinated operation, which led to the identification of six suspects, including five Afghan citizens and one Pakistani. Commissioner Quetta, Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, revealed that the group was using Iranian WhatsApp numbers and frequently changing locations to evade arrest. "During the investigation, more than 1,000 CCTV videos were analyzed, while more than 2,000 houses and 400 rental places were searched," Shafqaat said, adding that the governments of Afghanistan and Iran provided crucial information about the suspects and WhatsApp shared contact records. The operation culminated in a major raid in the Dasht area of Mustang district, Balochistan. "During the operation, one terrorist blew himself up, while the other was killed. An armored police vehicle was damaged in the explosion," Commissioner Shafqaat said. "The body of the child was later recovered, identified through DNA testing and handed over to the heirs with full respect," Shafqaat added. The kidnapping of Musawir had sparked widespread outrage in Quetta, with a complete strike observed across the city last year over his disappearance. The strike, called by political parties, transporters and traders, aimed to pressure the government to recover the missing child.