20000125

Probe started

in kidnapping

of PPL chief

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Islamabad has taken a serious view of the kidnapping of the chief exeuctive of Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL).

Compapny sources on Monday said that high profile investigations were being started under the aegis of the federal interior ministry.

Muncif Raza, 53, was kidnapped on Saturday evening while on way to visit one of his friends. No clue has so far been found regarding his kdinapping.

Various possiblities are being looked into by the police, his family and the company's colleagues. For some, it was an attempt to snatch his car and the snatcher thought it safer to also kidnap him. No phone call has been received by the family as usual in kidnapping for ransom. Others rule out that it was merely a car snatching case since, the vehcile, Munsif was riding in, was a Cherokee jeep which is maintained by a few in the city thus not attractive for snatcher.

Munsif hails from middle class having no chronic feud, sources said. He has been serving PPL for the last 28 years, they said.

The management of PPL, the owner and operator of Sui Gas Field, the largest natrual gas reserve in Pakistan, often faces tough time in Sui, Balochistan, where its gas wells and installtions are located. Local tribal inhabitants often create law and order situation there. Kidnapping, stealing, and plundering have been rampant there. Heavy contingents of Frontier constabulary (FC) had been deployed there which too proved ineffective. Last year, the comapny managed to hire the special services of a unit of commandos at Sui.

Comapny sources said all the routine work has affected by this gory incident since Munsif was directly involved in the working of all the departments. He is very popular among the employees, they said.

Munsif was promoted as managing director in 1997, just before the government of Pakistan took over PPL. Earlier he was working as deputy managing director.