Judge kidnapped from DI Khan, Tank border

DEAR ISMAIL KHAN/PESHAWAR: The district and sessions judge of South Waziristan was kidnapped from the boundary between Dera Ismail Khan and Tank district on Saturday.

Sources said that the armed kidnappers whisked away District and Sessions Judge Shakirullah Marwat from Bhagwall area on the Tank-Dera Ismail Khan Road when he was traveling in his official car along with the driver. The kidnappers bundled the judge into their vehicle and drove off, leaving behind his driver and official car.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan to intensify efforts for the safe recovery of the judge.

Meanwhile, taking notice of the incident, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) ordered the KP chief secretary, additional chief secretary home and inspector general of police to take steps to ensure the recovery of the kidnapped judge. Sources said that PHC Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice SM Attique Shah summoned the three senior officials after receiving a note from the registrar of the high court.

IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan and Secretary Home Abid Majeed appeared before the PHC and informed the judges about the steps being taken to recover the kidnapped judge. Abid Majeed said that he had been in touch with the security agencies and he would inform the PHC about the developments, adding that he was monitoring the situation. The senior PHC justices said that providing security to the judges was the responsibility of the provincial government, adding that no negligence should be shown in this regard. They directed the officials to submit a report to the PHC registrar.