It was middle of
Jun 2009 and it has been almost two years that I was without job. Those were
tough days as it was very difficult to make the two ends meet. I had no source
of income less my pension, which was too meager. Running the house affairs
having a wife and raising four children had become a real tough task.
One morning I saw an
advertisement in the daily news paper by a multinational company announcing a
vacancy of General Manager. The required qualification matched my credentials,
so I applied. In few days time I received a call from their manager HR
informing me that they have provisionally selected me and was asking my
availability. After a little negotiation, we came to an understanding and he
told me that I will be getting Rs. 150,000.00 ($ 1765) per month, a chauffeur
driven brand new Toyota Corolla Car, a three bedroom rent free house, medical
insurance and a limit free cell phone ceiling. But he told me that I shall have
to appear before a selection Board for a formal interview. This Board will be headed
by an American, who, as per him, is the Managing Director of the Company. The
Manager HR also informed me that I shall remain ready as I will be called on a
very short notice as the Managing Director was due to visit Pakistan within Two/
three days time.
The very next day I received the
call that I have to reach Karachi
the day after for the interview. The Manager HR also said that I shall buy the
Air ticket, whose charges shall be reimbursed to me on my arrival at Karachi. I
accordingly managed my seat with the Airline. However, a day earlier than my
departure, I received the call from the same Manager HR informing me that there
was a change of program. He told me that their American Managing Director was
now coming to Lahore and my interview will also be conducted there. So, I have
to change my air ticket to Lahore instead of Karachi . The Manager also
promised that all the charges, including cancellation charges etc will be
reimbursed to me on my arrival at Lahore .
So I agreed.
With quite difficulty, I managed
the rearrangement and was able to get a reservation in the air line for the
next day.
In the evening I confirmed my
reservation/ arrival to the said Manger HR and he in turn told me about my
detailed program. The Manager informed me that I will be received by their driver
at the airport. He gave me the name and cell phone number of the driver and
also informed me that the driver will be displaying my name’s ply card and a
white Toyota Corolla of the latest model will be there to receive me. The
Manager also gave me the registration number of the Car. He also told me that
still there is a little change in the program because of the American MD. He
told me that as their company intends to make a new factory at Kala Shah Kako,
around half an hour distance from Lahore towards the north, so the driver will
take me there for the meeting/ interview and from there, I will be dropped back
to Lahore, where my stay arrangement for a night will be made. He said the rest
of the details will be told to me personally on my arrival and meeting him.
The next day I reached Lahore at
around 2 p.m. I looked for the driver when I came out of the arrival Lounge but
could not see him. It was a very worm afternoon of June at Lahore . The sun was blazing hot.
I tried to call the driver on
the given number but found it closed. Then I called the Manger HR. he was noticeably
surprised to hear that nobody came to receive me as scheduled. He requested me
few moments leave with a promise to call me back.
He called back after a while and
informed me that the driver/ car, which were to receive me, have met an
accident on the Ring road. He asked me whether I can come to certain place at
the middle way mean while he dispatches another car to pick me up. I refused
and told him that I will wait for the vehicle at the airport. So he agreed.
Twice then he rang me up again to confirm that I am still at the airport. He
also asked about my whereabouts as to where am I waiting confirmed me that the
replacement vehicle is on its way to pick me up.
While I was waiting, I rang up
my friend at Lahore to inform him that I am there and that by evening I shall
be calling on him. My friend Mr. Rauf was part of an intelligence agency at Lahore .
On contact, Mr. Rauf asked me the
purpose of my visit and I gave him the details as to why be me there and why/
where am I waiting for the car to pick me up. He told me to immediately leave
that place, to get a first available taxi and rush to his office. The alarm in
his voice made me worried and without asking any further questions, I hurried
out of the airport, engaged a taxi and started towards his office. While in the
taxi, I receive the call from Mr. Rauf confirming whether I am out of the
airport. On my confirmation, he asked me the number from whom I was getting the
calls of the Manager HR. Mr Rauf also instructed me not to respond to any of
their further calls. I replied in affirmation.
On reaching Mr. Rauf’s office, I
learned the horrifying facts from Mr. Rauf and thanked ALLAH for saving my
life. My life was saved by a very short margin. The death kissed my cheek and
fly by.
Mr. Rauf told me that while I
was on my way to his office he checked the telephone number from where the
Manager HR was making the calls. The Manger HR was actually calling from
Rahwali whereas; he was pretending to be calling from Lahore. Mr Rauf told me
that it was a big gang of scoundrels who was working for abduction for ransom.
Mr. Rauf also told me that the gang had earlier abducted 36 retired Army
officers of the stature of Colonels and Majors, and after getting their life
time savings, killed them and buried them at unknown places. Mr. Rauf also told
me that his office was able to burst that gang a year earlier and after
arresting the culprits and getting their confessions and necessary evidence,
handed them over to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). They were further
handed over to the local police by NAB, on the pretext of being not their
subject matter. During the course, the police released them as some big shots
of police and Two sitting Ministers and some Members of National Assemble and
Provincial Assembly were part of the gang and were supporting the nefarious
activities and whatever hue & cry was made by the families of the victims
was suppressed and nothing was allowed to come out in the press. Further, the
families of the victims were threatened to keep quite or get ready to face the
dire consequences.
Mr. Rauf told me that the gang
was now again operating, after a gap of a year period.
I still thank ALLAH for saving
me from this disaster and my safe return to my home back to my family.
Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani
10 comments:
these are the state of affairs with the people of our country. instead of respecting and helping the soldiers of this nation, who have sacrificed there complete life to serve them,they choose to snatch those few years of there lives from them which they get to spend with there families friends and with themselves....
Lucky you Durrani. You are a good man so God saved you.Alhamdu Lillah!
Shoaib! It is Absolutely correct.
Thank you Jamil. Yes it was ALLAH who saved me and Only ALLAH
Durrani you are lucky one as you had an angel in the form of Rauf. I feel pity for my those colleagues, who fell prey to these scoundrels temptations. One close relative of my ,while in UK was also contacted by this gang; who came running to become their prey. On reaching Lahore, he sought my advise and I told him not to contact them rather contact his course mate at Lahore in one of the prestigious Intelligence set up. Resultantly, he was also saved. Now you must be clear as to why these politicians want to have Intelligence agencies under their control and Media propagating about Missing Persons. Ali Akbar
My advise to all my colleagues, never fall prey to temptations. Have a second opinion from your trusted ones.
Thank you Ali Akbar for your such an helping and guiding comments. I had never any doubts about the intentions of the politicians.
You have saved not a person but a entire family and my ALLAH will reward you for it and I pray الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ for the same for all
Jiay BHUTTO
Stay safe!
Great Escape indeed.Must you thank your stars for remaining unhurt.Thanks for sharing your story with us.It is an eye opener for everybody. But I guess it might not be true to believe that these criminals only target army officers, perhaps there aim is to loot and plunder any one who is vulnerable.GOD BLESS YOU
Thank you Jamil, Saeed Mirza, Shirazi and Tariq. I am obliged.
Post a Comment