Search underway to recover abducted Ziarat assistant commissioner, son: Levies

• AC Muhammad Afzal had gone to Zezri tourist spot along with son.
• Official kidnapped by gunmen; driver, gunman released later.
• No breakthrough in recovery of abductees reported so far.

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.

According to a report released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think tank, the country witnessed 78 terrorist attacks during the month of June, which resulted in at least 100 deaths.

Among the fatalities were 53 security personnel, 39 civilians, six militants, and two members of local peace committees.

A total of 189 people were injured, including 126 members of the security forces and 63 civilians.

Altogether, the violence and operations led to 175 deaths in June — among them, 55 security personnel, 77 militants, 41 civilians, and two peace committee members.