Abduction: Govt ‘clueless’ as search for Swiss couple begins

No ransom demand has been made yet, nor has there been any contact by the kidnappers.

QUETTA:

A search operation has been launched and tribal elders have been engaged to help secure the release of a Swiss couple abducted from Loralai, officials said on Saturday. The authorities, however, have no leads – nor has any ransom demand been made.

The Swiss nationals were kidnapped on Friday. They were seized in Loralai district, 170 kilometres east of Quetta, provincial home secretary Zafarullah Baloch told AFP.

“We have launched an intense search. We have alerted the police and paramilitary troops and we have also contacted tribal elders to help us locate the abductees,” said Sohailur Rehman, deputy commissioner of Loralai.

Loralai police chief Ghulam Ali Lashari said officers had found the couple’s Volkswagen abandoned in the Killi Nigah area.

The couple arrived at Sirki Jungle checkpoint at about 5:45 pm on Friday, registered as Swiss tourists and were allowed to enter an area controlled by the tribal police, Lashari said.

Officials quoting witnesses said “some unidentified gunmen intercepted the Swiss couple when they were travelling in Killi Nigah area and took them away to an undisclosed place.”

“Our priority is their safe recovery,” Rehman said

“We have no clues so far, we have received no demand, no ransom demand from the kidnappers,” he added.

Baloch said the search operation had been extended to three districts ­­— Loralai, Zhob and Qila Saifullah. Security has been increased on roads and tracks in these districts, he added.

“Our focus is Zhob,” Rehman said.

Security forces are staying vigilant to ensure the gunmen do not shift them to Afghanistan or the tribal areas, he said.

Officials said the pair had entered Balochistan from Dera Ghazi Khan and might have been heading for Quetta, perhaps on their way to Iran.

The Swiss foreign ministry said it was “aware of the information about a possible kidnapping case in Pakistan”.

The ministry said it was in contact with local authorities but could not give further details.

It advised Swiss citizens against non-essential travel to Pakistan due to “different, high risks”. Among these were a high risk of kidnapping as well as a threat of armed attacks in Balochistan, Sindh and South Punjab, said the ministry.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2011.