A top prosecutor in Pakistan’s troubled west was ambushed and kidnapped by armed men, as a authorities official confirmed on Sunday. Around 15 intruders riding motorcycles intercepted Judge Shakirullah Marwat’s car as he was heading towards Dera Ismail Khan region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to Faheem Khan. The intruders then set the car on fire before escaping with the prosecutor. Luckily, the driver escaped uninjured.
Although no one soon claimed role for the assault on Saturday night, it’s possible that suspicions are pointing to the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, who have a history of operating in the area.
The targeting of a prosecutor of Marwat’s tenure is strange for militants in the north, as they generally focus their attacks on surveillance personnel or equipment. Marwat generally uses heightened surveillance when traveling.
In response to the event, Khan mentioned that a counter-terrorism staff was working on the research and that a research procedure had been started for the missing judge.
Since the TTP formally ended a cease-fire with the central authorities in November 2022, Pakistan has seen a rise in violence, mostly attributable to the TTP.
In Dera Ismail Khan, gunmen attacked customs officers only last weekend, causing the injuries of three people and the deaths of two of them.
( With inputs from agency )
