Abduction confirmed

Unidentified armed men kidnapped 20 police recruits undergoing training at the Kalat Police Training Centre while traveling in a passenger van along the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Mastung district.

“Yes, 20 police personnel who were going home for the weekend were taken away by armed men while they were travelling in a passenger van on the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Mastung”

Recruits heading home

The recruits were heading home for the weekend when armed men intercepted their van.

Armed men intercepted

A group of armed men riding motorcycles and carrying automatic weapons intercepted the van and took the recruits away along with the vehicle to an undisclosed location.

Driver and passengers released

The armed men released the driver and three other passengers traveling in the van.

Recruits' affiliation

The abducted personnel belonged to the Levies Force, which has since been merged with the police.

Recruits' division

The abducted personnel belonged to the Rakhshan division, government officials said.

Search operation launched

Security forces have launched a search operation in the nearby mountains to trace the abducted recruits.

No information on whereabouts

No information about their whereabouts has emerged so far.

No group claimed responsibility

No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.

Previous abduction

A day earlier, Rakhshan Division Commissioner Asad Ullah Kakar was abducted in Balochistan’s Kharan district.

Earlier release

Kharan Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Soomro was released safely on Oct 3 after nearly two weeks in captivity following negotiations between local tribal elders and the armed men who had abducted him from the Noshki-Kharan…

Past kidnapping

On July 21, three excise officials were kidnapped after an attack on a checkpost in Balochistan’s Chagai district.