Yasir Khalil, a resident of Shaheedabad in Tehkal Payan, belongs to a poor household and makes a living by polishing furniture. To attract more customers and expand his small business, he had also turned to social media, posting various ads along with his mobile number.

He was about to open a shop in Islamabad with a friend when he received a WhatsApp call from someone claiming they had a large amount of furniture work and urgently needed a skilled worker. Rates and all terms were discussed and finalized, and Yasir was called to Rawalpindi for the job.

According to Yasir, when he arrived in Rawalpindi to meet them, he was offered a glass of juice that had already been mixed with intoxicants. After drinking it, he lost consciousness; and was kidnapped.

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He said that after being taken away, he was “sold” onward to nearly 10 different groups. He was transported on a motorcycle for about an hour through remote desert tracks to an unknown location, and from there taken to another spot by boat.

“Eventually they chained our feet and put us in a pit that felt like a grave,” he recounted. “When I asked where we were, they told me it was the kacha area.”

Yasir said the kidnappers retrieved numbers from his mobile phone and began demanding heavy ransom from his family. “I told them I was a poor man and didn’t even have 100 rupees,” he said. “They replied, ‘We take money from saints and beggars too — what are you then?’ Only I know what I suffered during those 50 days.”

His father, Nasir Khalil, recalled that the kidnappers initially demanded Rs7.5 million, later reducing it to Rs5 million, and ultimately settling at Rs2.5 million. “We live in a rented house, and Allah knows I didn’t even have 100 rupees,” he said. “They threatened to kill my son if we didn’t pay.”

He expressed deep gratitude to the elders of the area, the Khilji tribe, and political leaders who stood by him, took to the streets, and held press conferences for his cause. A donation drive was launched in the community, and contributions steadily grew into lakhs. “Some political leaders even gave us substantial amounts,” he added.

After the payment of Rs2.5 million, Yasir finally returned home safely. “For my son’s return, I cannot thank Allah enough,” his father said.