Assistant commissioner, son abducted by assailants in Pakistan’s Balochistan province
Local security forces and the Frontier Corps launch search operation to recover abducted official and his son
Murtaza Zehri

Security personnel stand guard at the site of an attack in Khuzdar district of Balochistan province on May 21, 2025.
AFP
Unidentified assailants abducted a senior local government official and his son in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, officials said on Monday.
The incident took place in Ziarat, a mountainous tourist town about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from the provincial capital, Quetta. The area is famous for its cool climate and centuries-old juniper forests, but has also seen past attacks by separatist groups seeking independence from Pakistan.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed the abduction to Nukta but did not provide further details.
A Levies Force security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Afzal had traveled to Killi Zezri, a picnic spot about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Ziarat, with his family on Sunday evening. Afzal’s security guard and driver were also with him when the gunmen approached on foot and took all of them away at gunpoint.
The abductors later released the driver and guard but took Afzal and his son with them, the official said. There are also reports that the attackers set Afzal’s official vehicle on fire before fleeing.
Local security forces and the paramilitary Frontier Corps launched a search operation in the area. Authorities have not said who they suspect is behind the kidnapping, and no group has claimed responsibility.
History of attacks
In recent years, Ziarat has witnessed high-profile attacks, including the burning of the historic Quaid-e-Azam Residency and the 2022 abduction and killing of a retired army officer.
On June 4 this year, another assistant commissioner was abducted from Kech district in southern Balochistan and remains missing.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, is rich in minerals but has been the scene of a low-level insurgency for decades. Separatist militants often target government officials, security forces and infrastructure.
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