Abductions: Missing shepherd’s body found, policeman yet to be recovered

Two men were abducted late Monday night from Gilgit-Ghizer Road.

GILGIT: The body of a missing shepherd was recovered in Gilgit on Tuesday, while the policeman who was abducted along with him is also believed to be dead.

Two policemen from Baseen police station and a shepherd identified as Firadonhad went missing late Monday night in Sharote, 25 kilometres from Gilgit town, from a road which links Gilgit with Ghizer valley.

One of the constables managed to escape and reached Baseen police station to report the incident. He told police unidentified armed men had overpowered them while they were on duty in the area and taken away his colleague Rahman Shah and a shepherd. He on the other hand had been tied to a tree from where he managed to escape.

SSP Ali Zia,while confirming the incident, said police has been sent to the area to investigate.

SSP Zia speculated the armed men might have crossed over to Sharote from another valley with the intention of robbing people.

Police officer Rizwan Khan said the missing officer’s mobile phone was switched off, making it difficult for them to contact him.

The abduction incidentcomes a week after the Gilgit-Baltistan government received a threat alert from the interior ministry warning them of possible terror attacks on Gilgit-Ghizer Road.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2013.