QUETTA: The 82-year-old father of Abdullah Jan, the kidnapped Balcohistan higher education secretary, has appealed to Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa to take notice of the kidnapping and help recover his son.

Mr Jan’s father said his son was kidnapped by armed men while going to office from his residence one-and-a-half months ago but no clue to his whereabouts had been found so far. “I have lost all hopes and am writing to you for your kind attention and help for the recovery of my son,” Muhammad Ismail said in his letter to the COAS.

He said: “My son Abdullah Jan is an honest officer and has been serving the country for the last 30 years as a civil servant in different capacities. He was kidnapped on March 15 while going to office from his residence.”

Mr Ismail, a retired officer of the police department, said the kidnappers had demanded a huge amount as ransom for the release of his son. “I do not have such a big amount to pay to the kidnappers,” he said, adding that he would not pay ransom to any terrorist. “I am suffering from a tragedy at the age of 82, which is very painful to me.”

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2017