A man held 23 of his relatives hostage in Pakistan's Rawalpindi city after they refused to lend him money following losses he suffered in gambling.

The 30-year-old man, who had been running a business in the construction sector, lost all his fortune in gambling and asked his family to give him money to establish the business again, Geo News reported.

The report said that he held them hostage at gunpoint after the family refused to pay him, and he shot and injured his father-in-law.

The family's neighbours informed police about the incident after which a child was rescued. The man was said to be suffering from some mental illness and was also under the influence of drugs.