ISLAMABAD: Overseas Pakistani investor Shiraz Khan, also known as Versace Khan, has revealed the harrowing details of his abduction, torture, and extortion at the hands of fraudsters and corrupt officials.
Khan, a UK-based investor, recounted his ordeal to the media after losing millions in fraudulent schemes and being embroiled in false cases.
On July 26, 2024, Shiraz discovered that his vehicle had been fraudulently transferred to Qadeer Hussain through forged documents. Upon attempting to block the vehicle’s registration, he was advised to travel to Pakistan to complete the necessary legal procedures.
Once in Pakistan, he contacted an officer named Qamar Shah at the Excise and Taxation Office (ETO), who demanded Rs. 800,000 to block the registration and return the vehicle to Shiraz’s name. After paying the fee, he was instructed to have the vehicle re-registered with the police, and subsequently filed an FIR against Qadeer Hussain for fraud.
On August 17, 2024, while dining in Bahria Town Phase 7, Shiraz and his friend, contractor Riaz, were abducted by Attock police officers and armed men. They were initially told they were being taken to Civil Lines Police Station in Rawalpindi, but were instead driven to Attock Police Station, where they were subjected to severe torture. Shiraz reported that he had £6,500 and Rs. 87,000 in cash, which was forcibly taken by ASI Asif.
At the police station, Shiraz was falsely told that he owed Rs. 900 million to Talat Azaz, one of his abductors, and was threatened with life imprisonment and harm to his family unless he paid immediately. Despite denying the claim and insisting that the individuals in question owed him money, Shiraz endured brutal torture, including electric shocks and waterboarding, which caused lung damage and left him unconscious.
Under duress, Shiraz was coerced into calling his family and friends to arrange the demanded payment. In a desperate plea, he called his friends, Shehzad and Rasalat, on speakerphone, asking them to arrange Rs. 900 million to save his life. During this period, his relative Chaudhry Matloob delivered Rs. 452 million in cash, and Shiraz was forced to sign various documents under coercion.
Once his location was traced by his family, and the British High Commission became involved, Shiraz was informed that his release was imminent. Alarmed, the Attock police fabricated false cases against him and sent him to Adiala Jail on August 27, 2024. Even while imprisoned, Shiraz reported being forced to pay substantial bribes. He was eventually released on bail by the High Court on November 11.
Shiraz has appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Senate, IG Punjab, Director General of FIA, and other relevant authorities for immediate action against those responsible. He has also requested the return of the money extorted from him through torture and blackmail.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation among the overseas Pakistani community, urging the government to take swift legal action to restore trust and confidence in the country’s legal system and protect the interests of overseas investors.
