District West Police have solved the kidnapping case of two-and-a-half-year-old Azan Ali Khan, arresting all three suspects, including the alleged mastermind, and safely recovering the child, SSP West Tariq Elahi Mastoi announced.
According to SSP Mastoi, the principal suspect was Muhammad Ehtesham, a close friend of the child’s father, who allegedly planned and executed the kidnapping. Police identified the three arrested suspects as:
Muhammad Ehtesham, son of Imran Khan , an alleged mastermind and friend of the complainant. Abdul Wahab, son of Muhammad Ashfaq, Ehtesham’s brother-in-law and Iftikhar Ahmed, son of Abdul Karim – alleged facilitator who kept the child near Gharo.
Police said the suspects abducted two-and-a-half-year-old Azan Ali Khan on 18 July 2026 from a private residential society in Manghopir, Karachi. A case (FIR No. 438/2026) was registered at Manghopir Police Station under Section 364-A of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 3(2) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018, based on a complaint filed by the child’s father.
Following the abduction, the family reportedly received a ransom demand of PKR 5 million through a WhatsApp number registered overseas.
Investigators said the kidnapping was allegedly motivated by financial gain. According to the investigation, Ehtesham enlisted the help of his brother-in-law, Abdul Wahab, and Iftikhar Ahmed, an acquaintance of his father’s worker based in Gharo, to plan and carry out the crime.
Police stated that three days before the kidnapping, Ehtesham had a fake motorcycle registration plate prepared by Abdul Wahab and collected the motorcycle, helmet, and counterfeit number plate himself.
On 16 July 2026, the suspect allegedly visited the residential society using the fake registration plate but left without entering. The following day, he reportedly entered the society and reached the victim’s residence but found the house locked and left.
On 18 July 2026, investigators said Ehtesham returned to the society, waited for approximately two hours, and allegedly abducted Azan from outside the family home. Police said the incident was clearly captured on CCTV footage.
According to the investigation, Ehtesham later handed the child and motorcycle over to Abdul Wahab near Jamshed Quarters and instructed him to travel to Gharo, where the child was subsequently transferred to Iftikhar Ahmed. Within hours of the kidnapping, the child was moved to a village approximately 10 kilometers from Gharo.
Police further stated that throughout the incident, Ehtesham remained in close contact with the victim’s family, participated in the search efforts across the city, and regularly exchanged updates with the family in an attempt to avoid suspicion.
The investigation also found that Ehtesham allegedly used the assistance of a friend living abroad, identified as Abdullah, to send the ransom demand of PKR 5 million to the child’s family via WhatsApp.
Police said sustained investigative efforts, technical surveillance, and extensive media coverage placed increasing pressure on the suspects. Community elders in the village, after learning that the child was being kept there, also reportedly urged the suspects to return the child immediately.
According to investigators, Iftikhar Ahmed subsequently pressured Ehtesham to retrieve the child. Fearing arrest and allegedly attempting to portray himself as helpful, Ehtesham provided information about the child’s location to both the parents and the police.
Upon receiving the information, SSP West Tariq Elahi Mastoi formed a special police team and dispatched officers, accompanied by the child’s parents, to Gharo. The operation resulted in the safe recovery of Azan Ali Khan.
Following the child’s rescue, police took Muhammad Ehtesham into custody. Based on his disclosures, Abdul Wahab was also arrested. Police recovered the motorcycle, helmet, fake registration plate, and the clothing allegedly worn by the suspect during the kidnapping, including his trousers, shirt, jacket, and shoes.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Iftikhar Ahmed near Gharo, where the child had been kept.
