UNC Member of Parliament’s son kidnapped

THE SON of UNC MP for Naparima, Nizam Baksh, has been abducted and $5 million has been demanded for his safe release. Thirty-year-old Ashmead Baksh, a mechanical engineer, is believed to have been snatched shortly after he left his Rochard Douglas Road, Barrackpore home on Friday evening.  Baksh (A) is also the nephew of former MP for San Fernando West, Sadiq Baksh. A worried looking Baksh (N), who owns a contracting firm, told Sunday Newsday he was in Parliament when relatives called around 8 pm and told him that his son was missing. “He (Ashmead) left home around 4.55 pm saying that he was going to visit a job site and would be back in half-an-hour to pay workers,” Baksh said.

However, when he did not return relatives tried calling him on his cellular phone but got no response. He said relatives became worried and went in search of him but no one had seen him. Around 10.45 pm, the MP said the kidnappers called and said they had his son. He did not want to disclose what was the ransom demand. “Please take care of him and let him go,” Ashmead’s sister Shazara appealed to the kidnappers. She called on the public to be on the look out for her brother and to report anything they think could assist the police in finding Baksh (A). She said her brother was taking medication for a viral infection. “We are all trying to be strong and praying for him,” she added. Police found Baksh’s Wingroad station wagon completely burnt in some bushes at Monkey Town, Barrack-pore yesterday morning. The vehicle was later taken to the Barrackpore Police Station where it was expected to be dusted for prints.

Several members of the UNC executive gathered at the Baksh’s residence to lend support to the family in this trying time. Opposition Leader, Basdeo Panday, extended his sympathy to Baksh and all the victims of kidnapping that is “spiralling under the PNM,” in a telephone interview with Sunday Newsday. “It is sad that Mr Baksh who is not responsible for having the PNM there (in Government) should be among those who suffer,” Panday said. He added” “It is clear from all evidence that the PNM will never solve the crime problem in TT. People will have to think of alternative ways and means of defending themselves because the PNM is incapable of defending them.”