A woman was lured to Kashmore, Pakistan, with the promise of a job. What followed was days of captivity — and a suspect who told her he'd only release her daughter in exchange for another victim.
The Crime
In November 2020, a woman reported to police in Kashmore, a town in Sindh, Pakistan, that she and her young daughter had been held captive and sexually assaulted over several days after she was lured there with a false job offer. According to the woman, the man responsible, identified as Rafiq Malak, kept her daughter and told her he would only release the child in exchange for the woman bringing him another victim.
The Sting Operation
Facing few other options, Kashmore police developed a plan to identify and arrest Malak by arranging a meeting under the guise of the woman complying with his demand. Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohammad Bakhsh volunteered his own family for the operation, and his wife spoke with Malak by phone to arrange a meeting point. His daughter later accompanied the victim to the agreed location in a public park, where police were positioned to make an arrest.
The Arrest
Malak was arrested when he arrived at the meeting point and led police to the location where the child was being held, allowing for her safe recovery. In custody, he reportedly cooperated quickly and identified other individuals connected to the crime, though officers were fired upon when attempting a related arrest; Malak was seriously injured in the exchange of gunfire and died en route to the hospital.
Recognition
Sindh government officials publicly praised the officer and his family for their role in resolving the case and announced a cash reward for his daughter, along with plans to recommend a formal award for Bakhsh.
An Ethical Question
While the operation succeeded, using a police officer's own child in a sting connected to a violent crime against another child carries obvious risk, and the case has prompted broader discussion in Pakistan about how such operations are conducted and overseen.
FAQ
Was the missing child recovered safely?
Yes. Police recovered her after Malak led them to where she was being held.
What happened to the suspect?
He died from injuries sustained during a subsequent police operation to arrest other individuals connected to the case.
Was the officer's daughter harmed during the operation?
Available reporting doesn't indicate she was harmed, though she was present at the arranged meeting point as part of the operation.