QUETTA: A search operation is underway to recover Ziarat Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Afzal and his son who were abducted a day earlier during their visit to the tourist spot Zezri, the Levies said on Monday.Unidentified gunmen had kidnapped the AC, his son, gunman and driver on Sunday — but later released the latter two.
According to Deputy Commissioner Ziarat, Zakaullah Durani, the assistant commissioner had gone to a picnic point when the assailants held them, along with their gunman and driver, at gunpoint, The News reported.The kidnappers later released the gunman and driver but took away the assistant commissioner and his son, fleeing the scene after torching the official vehicle.
Security forces and local administration cordoned off the area and began a search operation, but no breakthrough in the recovery of the abductees has been reported so far.It is worth noting that two months ago, Assistant Commissioner Tump, Mohammad Hanif Norzai, was also kidnapped.
The purported kidnapping comes as Balochistan, along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has faced the brunt of increased terrorist incidents witnessed by the country in recent times.
Both provinces share a border with neighbouring Afghanistan and have been facing infiltration attempts by terrorists.Last week, security forces gunned down 47 Indian-backed terrorists during separate operations in Zhob who were trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.