4 kidnappings in a week, traders worried

KABUL Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the kidnapping of four traders since March 21.

The trader’s representative body said the four businessmen had been kidnapped by gunmen in police uniform and warned traders and investors would leave the country if such incidents continued.

Atiqullah Nasrat, chief operating officer at ACCI, told a round table discussion, that the four traders were kidnapped in Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan, Khair Khana and Sabzi Mandavi area of Kabul in the first week of the new solar year.

He expressed concern over the incidents and said one of the traders was kidnapped from his residence.

“It is really shameful that the trader was kidnapped from his home by people in police uniform in the capital of the country,” Nasrat said.

“We do not know who are involved in these cases, the government must identify them and help traders, we are really very concerned,” he added.

He said if the situation persisted, it would result into capital flight because traders could not continue their work in such an environment.

More than a hundred cases of traders’ kidnapping took place in Kabul, Herat, Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces in 1395 solar year, the ACCI said.

Kabul police spokesman, Abdul Basir Mujahid confirmed four traders had been kidnapped by gunmen disguised as police but said they had taken serious measures after the incidents.

He said several suspects had been detained in connection with kidnapping cases which were under investigation.

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