KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22: Malaysian police said on Tuesday they had smashed a kidnapping gang with the arrest of four Pakistani nationals who seized their own countrymen for ransom from the victims’ relatives back home.

City police chief Zulkifli Abdullah said the four Pakistanis, aged between 22 and 35, were arrested on Saturday, following a tip-off.

“As a result of our monitoring, we saw four Pakistani nationals acting suspiciously and followed them to a flat downtown where we found three other Pakistanis locked in the home and who were bound and gagged,” he said.

“One of the kidnappers tried to escape and jumped from the third floor of the flats, ending up breaking his hand,” Zulkifli added.

He said initial investigations showed the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 620,000 ringgit ($204,317) for the release of the three men.

“The group’s modus operandi was to kidnap their countrymen who came to Malaysia to trade and do business and then seek a ransom from their relatives back in Pakistan,” he added.

He said the four would be charged in court shortly after police completed their investigations.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

PTI no-show
Updated 29 Jan, 2025

PTI no-show

There is growing impression that an entire country is being held hostage by the egos of a few powerful individuals.
A second Nakba?
29 Jan, 2025

A second Nakba?

WHILE candidate Trump was able to get away with making outrageous statements on the campaign trail, what President...
Cricket spin
29 Jan, 2025

Cricket spin

PAKISTAN seemed to have found the blueprint for Test success at home: raging turners that had brought three wins in ...
Unstable outlook
Updated 28 Jan, 2025

Unstable outlook

Improving indicators can be tempting enough to act boldly to accelerate economic growth. But must the SBP do so and repeat past blunders?
‘Poor’ lawmakers
28 Jan, 2025

‘Poor’ lawmakers

WHILE the average Pakistani is expected to carry the burden of austerity as he struggles to put food on the table,...
Digital security
28 Jan, 2025

Digital security

A RECENT advisory issued by the National Telecommunication and Information Technology Security Board has caused a ...