PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Gunmen ambushed and kidnapped a senior judge in a restive region of northwestern Pakistan, police officials said Sunday.
Police official Faheem Khan said about 15 men on motorbikes blocked the car of judge Shakirullah Marwat, who was traveling towards Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attackers set the car on fire and fled with the man. Khan said the driver was not injured.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday night’s assault, but a video distributed by counter-terrorism officials on Sunday showed a judge saying the militant Taliban of Pakistan (TTP) would not release him until his demands were met. The situation was visible. It is unclear whether Marwat spoke under duress.
It is unusual for extremists in the northwest to target Mr Marwat’s senior judge, who usually travels under tight security. They typically attacked security personnel and infrastructure.
In the video, Marwat assured his family that he was okay. He appealed to the Supreme Court, other judges and the state government to comply with the TTP’s demands to ensure his speedy release. He did not say what the group’s demands were.
The video showed Marwat sitting cross-legged on a checkered blanket outdoors, with dark gray sheets in the background. Although he spoke directly to the camera, there were moments when he appeared to make eye contact with other people. I hear a male voice behind me.
Mr Khan said a search operation had been launched for the judge and counter-terrorism teams had also joined the investigation.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in violence, mainly attributed to the TTP, since the group unilaterally ended its ceasefire with the central government in November 2022.
Last weekend, gunmen opened fire on customs officials in Dera Ismail Khan, killing two and wounding three.
This is a locator map of Pakistan including the capital Islamabad and the Kashmir region. (AP)
