A foreign female tourist, alongside her five Pakistani friends, was robbed and in a hostage situation for six hours in Islamabad, close to the Swiss Embassy.
Police reports indicate that the group, intending to hike towards a stupa, parked near Shah Allah Ditta under Golra Police Station’s jurisdiction. They were ambushed at gunpoint in the Margalla Hills by robbers who seized their mobile phones and watches and briefly held four of them captive, freeing two under the condition of withdrawing 120,000 PKR from an ATM with threats against notifying the police.
The release of the hostages followed the ransom payment, yet a jurisdictional conflict between Taxila and Golra Police Stations overshadowed the incident. The controversy centred around the crime scene’s location, with the Taxila Police claiming the tourists were seized within their domain despite their vehicles being parked in Golra’s territory.
The dispute prompted action from DIG Operations Syed Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari, who underscored the importance of tourist safety and held the Golra Station’s SHO accountable, resulting in suspension. Further investigations into the Golra Station’s conduct and an ordered inquiry into the incident aim to identify and discipline any additional police negligence.
