A local and parliamentary judge was abducted by armed men on Saturday in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtankhwa province, police said.
Shakirullah Marwat was abducted near Tank and Dera Ismail (DI) Khan district, which borders Afghanistan.
DI Khan Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohammad Adnan said the incident took place in a village named Bagwal. The judge was kidnapped while returning from his shift to DI Khan.
The judge’s driver was not injured. A vehicle was also recovered from the scene.
Police announced that no one had claimed responsibility for the judge’s abduction.
Following the incident, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Central Intelligence Director Faisal Karim Kundi expressed concern.
He asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to explain why he was “not serious” about establishing peace in the province.
“The CM should say why he is not serious about establishing peace and why terrorists are running wild,” he demanded.
Kundi said reports of the judge’s abduction have created a sense of insecurity among the public.
Meanwhile, Gandapur Chief Minister directed the safe recapture of the abducted judge. He said urgent measures should be taken for the recovery of Marwat and all available resources should be utilized for this purpose.
Gandapur condemned the incident, saying those involved in the kidnapping will not escape justice.
Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, along with two other judges, convened an emergency meeting to ensure the safety of the province’s senior judges.
Additional state chief secretary and Gandapur Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan also attended the meeting.
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Minister of Interior Abid Majeed gave an overview of the meeting.
While monitoring the progress of the case, the district administration has been directed to ensure timely rehabilitation of the judge.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from Syndicated News Agency Feed – PTI)
Location: Islamabad, Pakistan
First published: April 28, 2024, 08:43 IST
