• Eight personnel freed in South Waziristan
• Cop, four civilians return in Bannu
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN/BANNU: Thirteen abducted people, including a station house officer (SHO) and eight police personnel, safely returned to their homes on Thursday after being recovered in separate actions across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said.
Eight police personnel, including SHO Ahmad Shah Mehsud, who were abducted a day earlier in the Partogai area of Sararogha tehsil in Upper South Waziristan, were safely recovered on Thursday.
District Police Officer (DPO) Arshad Khan told Dawn that all recovered personnel had safely returned to the police lines in Sararogha and were in stable condition.
He said that following the abduction, local tribal elders and the district administration launched coordinated efforts to secure the release of the policemen. He added that these efforts resulted in the safe recovery of all eight abducted personnel, including SHO.
The DPO appreciated the role played by local elders and thanked them for their cooperation and support in resolving the situation peacefully.
According to police officials, the personnel had travelled to the remote Partogai area of Sararogha tehsil on Wednesday to defuse an unexploded mortar shell. After successfully completing the operation and rendering the explosive device harmless, the team began its return journey.
However, while on their way back, they were intercepted by unidentified armed men, who took them hostage and shifted them to an undisclosed location.
Police sources said the site of the abduction is located about six kilometres from the Sararogha police station. Following the incident, security agencies were placed on high alert, while local elders initiated contacts aimed at securing the release of the hostages.
Police officials said continuous coordination among local elders, the district administration and relevant authorities ultimately led to the safe recovery of all the abducted policemen.
Cop, four others return home
Five people, including a police constable, were safely returned to their homes after having been abducted in separate incidents across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu and its surrounding areas.
According to police sources, the abducted Constable Zareen Khan — posted at Utmankhel Police Station — as well as two residents of Pathona Mamandkhel, were released and returned home safely. Their release was reportedly secured through the efforts of local elders and a tribal jirga.
Separately, a resident of Sathi Khel Sorani, who had been taken away by unidentified individuals several days earlier, also returned home safely.
Additionally, Nisar Khan, the headmaster of Government High School Sardar Khan Mandev in Miryan tehsil, also safely returned home after being abducted from the school premises on Wednesday. Police sources confirmed his return, stating that he was in good health and reunited with his family.
The headmaster was reportedly taken away by two armed terrorists during school hours. The safe recovery of all five individuals was attributed to the collective efforts of local elders, tribal jirga members, and law enforcement agencies.
Published in Dawn, June 26 , 2026
