January 12, 2009	Monday	Muharram 14, 1430

WANA: Five armed men kidnapped Additional Political Agent Amir Latif of South Waziristan along with his driver in the presence of more than 20 security personnel on Sunday.

Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah who was in the same vehicle was unharmed, because the armed men didn’t recognise him. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

Mr Shah and additional political agent, escorted by more then 20 heavily-armed personnel, were proceeding from Wana to their office in the adjacent Tank district when five masked men intercepted their vehicle near Kerkena which is the area of Ahmadzai Wazir tribe. After a brief conversation, Mr Latif got down from the vehicle and the armed men bundled him and his driver into their car and sped away.

Political Agent Shahab Ali told Dawn by phone he was sitting behind when the armed men came in front of the vehicle, forcing it to stop.

He said that one of the armed men approached their vehicle and asked Amir Latif sitting beside the driver: “Who is political agent?” The additional political agent, according to Mr Shah, replied: “I am the political agent. What is your problem?”

The man said: “Fine, we were waiting for you, come with us.” The kidnappers put Mr Latif and the driver into their vehicle.

He said that security guards were about to act but Mr Latif stopped them because his life was in danger. — Correspondent