QUETTA, Dec 19: Three officials of the Balochistan Fisheries Department were kidnapped from the coastal town of Jiwani on Sunday.

According to sources, a team of the fisheries department headed by Sub-Inspector Ali Mohammad raided a boat for illegal fishing, but some armed men hiding in the boat made them hostage at gunpoint.

Police said the armed men took the officials to sea. The two other officials were identified as Shah Mohammad and Mohammad Sadiq.

The officials of the fisheries department along with Pakistan Maritime Security Agency personnel launched a search operation along the coast, but they could not trace the kidnapped officials till late in the night.