Pakistani judge kidnapped by armed men in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

A district and sessions judge was abducted on Saturday by armed men in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said.

Shakirullah Marwat was kidnapped near Tank and Dera Ismail (DI) Khan district bordering Afghanistan.

DI Khan Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohammad Adnan said the incident took place in a village named Bagwal. The judge was kidnapped when he was on his way back to DI Khan, returning from duty.

The driver of the judge was not harmed. The vehicle was also recovered from the spot.

Police said that no one has claimed responsibility for the judge’s abduction.

Reacting to the incident, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi expressed concern.

He called on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to explain the reason for his “non-seriousness” in the establishment of peace in the province.

“(The) CM should tell why isn’t he serious about the establishment of peace and why terrorists are on the loose,” he asked.

Kundi said that the report of the judge’s abduction has given rise to a sense of insecurity among the masses.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Gandapur issued directives for the safe recovery of the abducted judge. He said that emergency measures should be taken for Marwat’s recovery and all available resources should be utilised for the task.

Gandapur condemned the incident, saying that elements involved in the kidnapping cannot escape justice.

Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim along with two other judges have called an emergency meeting to ensure security for senior judges in the province.

Additional Chief Secretary of the province and Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur attended the meeting. Secretary Home Abid Majeed briefed the meeting.

Monitoring the progress in the case, the district administration has been directed to ensure the timely recovery of the judge.