Three excise officials kidnapped in Chagai attack

Three officials of the Excise Department were abducted after armed men attacked a government checkpost in Balochistan's Chagai district, officials said on Tuesday.

QUETTA: Three officials of the Excise Department were abducted after armed men attacked a government checkpost in Balochistan’s Chagai district, officials said on Tuesday.

According to police sources, the incident took place on Monday evening on the Dalbandin–Taftan Highway. Around 30 armed attackers surrounded the checkpost and held the officials at gunpoint. They kidnapped three excise personnel before fleeing the area.

The attackers also took away two official vehicles and government-issued weapons. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Police and other law enforcement agencies rushed to the scene after receiving information about the incident. The area was cordoned off and a large-scale search operation was launched to trace the kidnappers and recover the abducted officials safely.

Officials said investigators are collecting evidence and trying to determine the identity of the attackers. Security agencies are also examining the route used by the armed men to escape.

The latest kidnapping has once again highlighted the fragile security situation in Balochistan. The province has witnessed a rise in militant attacks targeting security personnel and government institutions in recent months.

Earlier this month, security forces launched Operation Shaban after a deadly attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat. During that incident, armed militants abducted and killed 27 police personnel, prompting a major security response across the province.

Security reports have also pointed to a sharp increase in terrorist violence and kidnappings in Balochistan. The province has recorded the highest number of militant attacks and abductions in the country in recent months, raising concerns over the expanding activities of armed groups.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating terrorism. Speaking during a Provincial Apex Committee meeting in Quetta, he said the country’s civil and military leadership had taken a united decision to defeat terrorism and restore lasting peace.