GILGIT, July 4: SSP Faizan Safdar has been sent on a two-week leave and SP Mustafa has taken over in his place, informed sources said on Friday.

Northern Areas IGP Ahsan Mukhtar had issued the orders after an incident in which some youngsters of Nomal village had manhandled the SSP on Wednesday in the Naltar Valley. The SSP was held hostage for some 12 hours.

The youngsters accused the SSP of opening fire at a passenger jeep under the influence of alcohol.

The protesters had also damaged the SSP’s official vehicle (GLT-B 0098).

The police and Frontier Constabulary had rescued the besieged SSP after negotiations with the protesters.

Opinion

Editorial

Centre vs provinces
Updated 10 Jun, 2026

Centre vs provinces

The reason the centre finds itself in this position is rooted in its failure to expand the tax net and boost revenues.
Party in crisis
10 Jun, 2026

Party in crisis

THE young KP chief minister must be starting to realise just how thorny a seat he occupies. There has been a flurry...
Varsity woes
10 Jun, 2026

Varsity woes

FINANCIAL crises affecting public sector universities across Pakistan are now having an impact on academic...
Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....