Abducted Kharan DC freed after tribal elders intervene

QUETTA: Kharan Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Soomro was released safely on Friday after nearly two weeks in captivity following negotiations between local tribal elders and the armed men who abducted him on the Noshki-Kharan highway last month, officials said. Mr Soomro was seized at gunpoint on Sept 20 while travelling from Quetta to Kharan in a private car. Unidentified armed men intercepted the car in the Lajah area of Kharan district and abducted the deputy commissioner along with his friend, driver and personal security guard. 'The Kharan DC, who was abducted by armed men, has been released safely,' a senior official with the Provincial Home Department told Dawn. A close family member also confirmed Mr Soomro's release. The captors released the driver and the security guard three days after the initial kidnapping. Following the abduction, security forces, including local police and the Frontier Corps, launched a comprehensive search operation in the region. Meanwhile, authorities approached local tribal elders to establish contact with the kidnappers. Sources indicated that negotiations held between these elders and the armed men secured Mr Soomro's release. Babar Yousafzai, an aide to the Balochistan Home Department, welcomed the safe recovery of the official and emphasised that the protection of civil servants and the public remains a top priority. Mr Yousafzai reiterated the government's resolve to restore peace across Balochistan, adding that authorities will continue to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order and protect citizens' lives and property. Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2026