Rawalpindi man arrested over holding own family as hostage

A Pakistani man, who had taken at least 20 members of his own family hostage in Rawalpindi, has been arrested by the authorities on Saturday.

According to the police, 35-year-old Abdul Rahim, who shot dead his father-in-law after he returned from the mosque on Saturday morning, had taken his family members hostage at gunpoint late last night, the Dawn reported.

Rahim opened fire as the police stormed the house, but was injured as police retaliated.

"Other members of the family are safe, although one elderly woman had lost consciousness because of the tear gas. She has been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital," the report said, quoting DSP Cantt Raja Taifoor Khan, as saying.

The police has discovered that Rahim was an addict, contrary to the preliminary reports which suggested that the suspect was of unstable mind.