A dramatic twist in the case of journalist Fayyaz Ahmed Solangi’s alleged kidnapping unfolded when police disclosed that the abduction was staged.
During a joint press briefing by SSP Kashmore Zubair Nazir Sheikh and SSP Khairpur Touheed Rehman Memon revealed that authorities recovered Solangi in Sindh’s Kashmore district, where he was allegedly held for a ransom of Rs10 million.
“The Solangi abduction was fake and orchestrated,” the senior officers announced, unravelling the fabricated plot, which had initially stirred significant concern within the journalist community, sparking strikes and receiving widespread media coverage.
The investigation into Solangi’s disappearance gained momentum following directives from the Sindh Chief Minister, the Home Minister, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sukkur Captain (retd) Faisal Abdullah Chachar led the investigative team that eventually cracked the case.
The breakthrough came when Shah Dost, a suspect detained by police in Kashmore, revealed during interrogation that he did not kidnap Solangi but was acting under instructions from the journalist’s uncle, Mazhar. The plot further unravelled when Mazhar, upon his arrest, admitted that the kidnapping was a hoax intended to manipulate the police and media to pressure Solangi’s cousins over a land dispute.
Solangi was found in the Jamal area of Katcha in the Kashmore district. Facing journalists, a contrite Solangi admitted to concocting the abduction out of desperation.
Sindh Police has filed charges against five individuals, including Solangi, for falsehood and spreading sensationalism, marking a cautionary tale about media misuse and police resources.
