District West Police claimed to have solved the kidnapping case of two-and-a-half-year-old Azaan Ali Khan, arresting all three suspects allegedly involved in the abduction and recovering the child safely, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) West Tariq Elahi Mastoi.
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Police said the child’s father’s friend, Muhammad Ehtesham, emerged as the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping and was directly involved in planning and executing the crime.
According to police, the suspects were arrested during separate operations conducted in Karachi and near Gharo based on technical intelligence and continuous investigation. The arrested suspects were identified as:
- Muhammad Ehtesham son of Imran Khan — alleged mastermind and friend of the complainant
- Abdul Wahab son of Muhammad Ashfaq — Ehtesham’s brother-in-law
- Iftikhar Ahmed son of Abdul Karim — alleged facilitator who kept the child near Gharo
Police said Azaan Ali Khan was kidnapped on July 18, 2026, from a private housing society in Manghopir. 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, on the complaint of the child’s father.
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Following the kidnapping, the suspects allegedly demanded Rs5 million in ransom through a WhatsApp number registered abroad.
During the investigation, police claimed that Muhammad Ehtesham planned the kidnapping due to financial motives with the assistance of his brother-in-law Abdul Wahab and Iftikhar Ahmed, who was allegedly a facilitator based near Gharo.
Police said Ehtesham arranged a fake motorcycle number plate through Abdul Wahab three days before the incident and collected the motorcycle, helmet, and fake registration plate.
On July 16, Ehtesham allegedly visited the housing society after installing the fake number plate but returned without entering. The following day, he reportedly entered the society again and reached the victim’s house but left after finding it locked.
On July 18, the suspect allegedly entered the society again, waited for around two hours, and kidnapped Azaan from outside his home. Police said the incident was also captured on CCTV footage.
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Police further claimed that after the kidnapping, Ehtesham handed over the child and motorcycle to Abdul Wahab near Jamshed Quarters and instructed him to take the child to Gharo, where he was later handed over to Iftikhar Ahmed.
According to police, the child was shifted to Gharo within hours of the kidnapping, after which Iftikhar took him to his village located around 10 kilometres away from Gharo.
Investigators claimed that Ehtesham remained in contact with the victim’s family throughout the incident, participated in search efforts, and continued receiving and sharing updates with the family for two days in an attempt to avoid suspicion.
Police also alleged that Ehtesham used the assistance of his overseas-based friend Abdullah to send the ransom demand message to the child’s family.
The police said continuous efforts, technical investigation, and extensive media coverage increased pressure on the suspects. Local elders also pressured the accused after learning about the child’s presence and demanded his immediate safe return.
Police claimed that Iftikhar later pressured Ehtesham to take the child back. Fearing arrest and attempting to portray himself as a helper, Ehtesham allegedly provided information about the child’s location to the family and police.
SSP West Tariq Elahi Mastoi formed a special team after receiving the information and dispatched a police party along with the child’s parents to Gharo, where Azaan was recovered safely.
Following the recovery, police took Muhammad Ehtesham into custody and arrested Abdul Wahab based on his disclosures.
Police said the motorcycle used in the crime, helmet, fake number plate, and clothing allegedly worn during the incident, including trousers, shirt, jacket, and shoes, were also recovered.
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Later, on the identification of the arrested suspects, police conducted another operation near Gharo and arrested Iftikhar Ahmed, who allegedly kept the child in his custody.
Police said all three suspects confessed to their alleged involvement during interrogation and provided details of the incident. Investigators said the information was verified through location data and other technical evidence.
The arrest comes a day later after Azaan was safely recovered from Gharo town in Thatta. The child had remained missing for 2 days before being found unharmed.
