Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been rocked by reports of the alleged abduction of provincial minister Fazal Shakoor Khan, with masked gunmen reportedly stopping his vehicle by firing at its tyres before taking him away. PTI lawmaker Shakeel Ahmed was also reportedly targeted in a separate incident.
Islamabad: A disturbing incident has sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, after armed and masked men allegedly intercepted the vehicle of provincial Public Health Engineering Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan on a motorway and abducted him.
According to reports, the attackers opened fire on the minister’s vehicle, targeting its tyres to force it to stop. The gunmen, reportedly carrying automatic weapons and concealing their faces, then allegedly seized Fazal Shakoor Khan and took him away.
An alleged video circulating on social media appears to show masked men blocking a major road, adding to the alarm surrounding the reported incident. However, the video and the details emerging from the incident have not been independently verified.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction remain unclear. There has been no official confirmation of which organisation or group may have been responsible, what its motive might have been, or whether any demands have been made. Authorities have also not released detailed information about the minister’s whereabouts or current condition.
The situation has been further inflamed by reports that PTI leader and provincial lawmaker Shakeel Ahmed was also allegedly targeted in an attempted abduction. Following reports of alleged action against him in Malakand, anger reportedly spread among PTI supporters.
In a show of protest, large numbers of PTI workers blocked the Batkhela Bypass in Malakand. Protesters reportedly set tyres on fire and raised slogans, escalating tensions in the area.
PTI has alleged that its provincial leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is being deliberately targeted, claiming that attempts are being made to abduct its leaders at gunpoint.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan described the reported incidents as an attack on the Constitution, the law and the people’s mandate. Senior PTI leaders have demanded accountability over the alleged targeting of the minister and party leaders.
PTI workers have also warned that protests could intensify if what they describe as action against their leaders and ministers continues and the province’s law-and-order situation does not improve.
For now, crucial questions remain unanswered: Who was behind the alleged abduction of Fazal Shakoor Khan? Where was he taken? And what is his current condition?
Official confirmation of the circumstances surrounding the incident is still awaited.
