MIANWALI, July 14: A Health Department employee was kidnapped for ransom from Choorwala, 20 kilometer from Mianwali, on Sunday night.

Muhammad Bakhsh Allita, dispenser at Muzaffarpur Basic Health Unit, was travelling in a jeep along with Amanullah and Allah Yar Darhal. Near Choorwala, two unidentified people held them at gunpoint and drove the jeep. The kidnappers released Amanullah and Darhal after depriving them of their belongings near mountains of Chidroo but took away Allita with them. They asked the two people to arrange a Rs1 million ransom for his release. The captors also warned them not to report the matter to police.

District Police Officer Tasadaq Hayat Malik confirmed the kidnapping and said a first information report had yet to be launched. He also assured that the kidnappers would soon be arrested. The Wan Bhachran station house officer said no one had asked for the FIR.

A few days ago, kidnappers released Muhammad Aslam, a landowner of Duaba, after receiving a ransom. Last month kidnappers shot dead a businessman of Wan Bhachran when his relatives refused to pay the ransom of Rs1 million and instead reported the matter to the police.