Motive Unknown: Ten people kidnapped from Hangu

HANGU: As many as 10 people were kidnapped from different areas of Hangu district on Monday .However, the police said two of them were rescued. According to an official of the Hangu police, four shepherds were grazing cattle in Ibrahimzai in the morning when unidentified armed men kidnapped them at gunpoint. Locals and the police chased the kidnappers but were not able to find them. The policeman further said six other men were abducted from Shahokhel Lakki Bazaar the same evening. He added two of the abducted men had been rescued while a search for the others was under way. No arrests had been made till this report was filed. Hangu district shares a border with Kurram and Orakzai agencies. It has seen several incidents of sectarian violence and terrorism in the past few years. Cases of kidnapping have also been on the rise recently.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2014.