Rights activist Idris Khattak was allegedly kidnapped by unidentified men while on his way from Akora Khattak village to Swabi, his driver Shahsawar told police on Monday. In a complaint filed in Anbar police station, Shahsawar said that he was driving Khattak to Swabi when about four unidentified men stopped the activist’s car at Swabi Motorway Interchange and kidnapped him. The incident took place on November 13, according to the complaint. Though complaints have been lodged by Khattak’s driver and family, police are yet to register a first information report (FIR). Officials did confirm that Khattak was missing but said an FIR will be lodged after an initial investigation. Politician Jibran Nasir claimed that the activist was “abducted by intelligence agencies six days ago on Islamabad Peshawar highway near Swabi Interchange”. Nasir said that the driver was abducted along with Khattak but was released after three days. However, the application filed by Shahsawar did not mention any such occurrence. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) demanded Khattak’s “immediate recovery”, saying that he had “remained associated with progressive politics since his student days”. “HRCP condemns arbitrary detentions and urges the Pakistani state to fulfill its constitutional obligations towards its citizens,” the organization said in a tweet.
Rights activist Idris Khattak abducted from Swabi Interchange, says driver
Published on: November 19, 2019 5:11 AM