Rakhshan Commissioner Asad Ullah Kakar Abducted from Noshki-Kharan Highway
QUETTA: Rakhshan Division Commissioner Asad Ullah Kakar, an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, was abducted by unknown armed men from the Noshki-Kharan highway on Thursday, officials confirmed.
Kakar was travelling from Quetta to Kharan in a private car along with his driver when the attackers struck. The incident took place in the Barshonki area, where the armed men blocked the road and intercepted the vehicle.
The kidnappers initially took the commissioner, his driver and the car with them. Later, they released the driver. According to a senior police official, it was the driver who reported the abduction to officials after he reached Kharan.
Kharan police confirmed the incident to Dawn. The circumstances of the abduction remain under investigation, and officials have not yet announced any breakthrough in efforts to locate the officer.
Second officer taken from the same corridor
The abduction is the second such incident in the area in recent weeks. Kharan Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Soomro was abducted from roughly the same stretch of road last month. His case was later resolved after the intervention of tribal elders, who secured his release in Quetta (Abducted Kharan DC freed in Quetta after tribal elders intervene).
That earlier case followed a familiar pattern: a senior civil officer seized from a remote highway, taken away with his vehicle, and recovered only after behind-the-scenes mediation. Whether the latest abduction will follow the same trajectory remains to be seen. Officials have not yet indicated whether any demands have been received from the kidnappers.
Questions over highway security in Rakhshan
The Noshki-Kharan highway runs through one of the most sparsely populated parts of Balochistan, where security forces maintain a limited presence. Senior government officers travelling this corridor normally move with a police escort. In Kakar’s case, he was in a private car with only his driver, and no escort was mentioned in the initial reports.
The targeting of PAS officers has drawn concern within the civil administration. These officers serve as the principal representatives of the provincial government in their divisions and districts, and attacks on them carry a message well beyond the individual.
Balochistan has seen a sustained campaign of violence in recent years, with security personnel, civilians and government infrastructure all targeted. Security Forces Kill 18 Terrorists in North Waziristan, Mastung Operations reported on the latest counter-militancy operations in the province, while the provincial government has ordered a major police overhaul and surveillance network for Quetta in response to the deteriorating situation.
Earlier this year, an inquiry into the Mangi Dam incident heard that security warnings had been ignored before the attack, raising questions about whether intelligence about threats to government officers and installations is being acted upon in time.
What is known so far
Based on official accounts reported by Dawn:
- The abduction happened on Thursday on the Noshki-Kharan highway in the Barshonki area.
- The commissioner was travelling from Quetta to Kharan in a private car with his driver.
- Armed men blocked the road and intercepted the vehicle, taking both men and the car.
- The driver was later released and reported the incident on reaching Kharan.
- No group has been publicly named in connection with the abduction so far.
FAQ
Who is Asad Ullah Kakar?
Asad Ullah Kakar is the Commissioner of Rakhshan Division and an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, the federal civil service that staffs senior government posts across the provinces.
Where and when was he abducted?
On Thursday, in the Barshonki area of the Noshki-Kharan highway, while travelling from Quetta to Kharan in a private car with his driver.
Is this connected to the Kharan DC abduction?
Officials have not stated any link. But both abductions happened on roughly the same stretch of road, about a month apart, which has raised questions about security on the corridor.
What happened to the driver?
The kidnappers released him after taking him along with the commissioner and the vehicle. He reported the abduction to officials once he reached Kharan.
What is Rakhshan Division?
Rakhshan is one of the administrative divisions of Balochistan, comprising the districts of Nushki, Kharan, Chagai and Washuk. The divisional commissioner is the senior-most civil officer for the division.
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Outbound: Dawn source report — https://www.dawn.com/news/2037490/rakhshan-commissioner-abducted
