DI KHAN:
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Dera Ismail Khan has registered a formal case against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists for the abduction of passengers and workers of a sugar mills along with employees of other projects.
The case was lodged at the CTD Dera office on the complaint of Station House Officer (SHO) of Thana Proa, Azeem Wazir, and includes several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.
It may be mentioned here that armed men affiliated with the TTP set up an illegal checkpoint Wednesday on the main Indus Highway. The road links Dera Ismail Khan with Sahiwal. The militants stopped a passenger bus and a vehicle belonging to Chashma Sugar Mills.
They ordered eight workers of the sugar mills, identified as Shahzad, Irshad, Kashif, Shafqat, Arsalan, Alamdar, Shabbir and Majid, to get down from the vehicle. The workers were forced into the militants’ pickup truck and taken to an unknown location. Police said the attackers had more than one pickup and several motorcycles, which were used during the incident.
The driver of the sugar mills vehicle, Samar Jan, recorded his statement with police. He stated that the armed men also took away employees working at a fuel plant and other development projects in the area. The list of additional abductees includes Rahmatullah, Akram, Wahidullah, Muhammad Bilal, Muhammad Numan, Abdul Rashid, Muhammad Iftikhar and Jaleel. In total, 17 people were kidnapped, eight from sugar mills and nine others associated with different projects.
The First Information Report (FIR) cites Section 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person), Section 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon) and Section 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and other relevant provisions. The case has been registered against the TTP militants and investigation has formally begun.
Police sources said teams are examining all aspects of the incident under the nominated sections of law.
