KP Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan Allegedly Abducted Near Peshawar Motorway
PTI leaders and the minister’s staff say masked armed men intercepted his vehicle and took him to an undisclosed location
KP Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan was allegedly abducted near the Peshawar Motorway exit, according to his staff and PTI leaders
PESHAWAR/CHARSADDA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Public Health Engineering Fazal Shakoor Khan was allegedly abducted by unidentified armed men near the Peshawar Motorway exit on Monday.
The minister’s staff and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders made the allegation. They said masked men intercepted his vehicle while he was travelling to Peshawar.
According to his personal secretary, Alam Khan, the minister was heading to the provincial capital for a meeting. He said armed men wearing police uniforms stopped the vehicle near the motorway exit in the jurisdiction of Chamkani police station.
A video circulating on social media appeared to show masked armed men approaching the minister’s vehicle. One man was seen opening the car door. Another appeared to fire shots towards the vehicle’s tyres.
The circumstances shown in the video could not be independently verified.
PTI Calls for Investigation
KP Information Minister Shafi Jan described the alleged abduction as a serious incident. In a statement on X, he said the incident was an attack on constitutional and democratic principles.
A senior PTI leader also told Dawn that the party had no information about the minister’s whereabouts at the time of reporting. The leader alleged that the police and provincial administration were not supporting the KP government.
The allegations have also been raised in the KP Assembly. Speaker Babar Saleem Swati questioned the role of institutions following reports of attacks and alleged abductions involving provincial lawmakers.
KP Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi told the assembly that Fazal Shakoor Khan had been taken from the motorway toll plaza. He also alleged that masked men were involved in the incident.
Separate Case Against Minister Shakeel Khan
The incident came a day after another confrontation involving KP Minister for Communication and Works Shakeel Khan.
An FIR was registered against Shakeel Khan and his guards at a Counter-Terrorism Department police station in Malakand. The case includes provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the FIR, intelligence official Naik Bilal told police that he was travelling with a senior officer near Batkhela when a vehicle stopped in front of their car.
The official alleged that several men, including Shakeel Khan, opened fire. He said he was injured during the incident.
The allegations in the FIR are subject to investigation. Shakeel Khan has also alleged that he had been targeted and that his guards fired in self-defence.
Minister Had Reportedly Raised Security Concerns
A written request attributed to Shakeel Khan has also circulated on social media.
In the letter, the minister reportedly said he had received threats of murder and kidnapping. He also alleged that armed men opened fire on him while he was in Batkhela to offer Fateha.
According to the letter, his guards returned fire in self-defence. The attackers then left the area.
The authenticity of the document and the allegations contained in it require official confirmation.
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PTI Workers Protest
PTI workers staged protests in Malakand and Charsadda following the reported incidents.
In Malakand, protesters gathered outside the Malakand Press Club. They demanded a thorough investigation into the reported attack involving Shakeel Khan.
In Charsadda, PTI workers gathered at Farooq Azam Chowk. They protested over the alleged abduction of Fazal Shakoor Khan and called for his immediate release.
The protests were addressed by local PTI leaders, including former district president Aziz Khan and other party representatives.
The developments have intensified political tensions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The KP Assembly has also taken up the issue, with lawmakers raising questions about the security of provincial ministers and the role of law-enforcement institutions.
