ATTOCK, Aug 10: Armed persons kidnapped the nephew of a provincial minister on Friday, sources told Dawn. Punjab Minister for Monitoring Sujah Khanzada confirming the incident to Dawn, said his nephew, Akram Khan, director of a private tobacco company was going to his office in NWFP in his chauffeur-driven land cruiser Jeep (Peshawar-B-2188). His vehicle was intercepted by some armed persons near Noorpur village on Shadikhan-Gondal road and taken away along with the driver and the vehicle.

The minister suspected that the kidnappers might have taken them to NWFP.

However their motive could not be known as no one has contacted him or any other family member so far.

The minister said he had informed the chief ministers and police chiefs of Punjab and NWFP about the incident.

A case has been registered with the Rangu Police station against the kidnappers, he added.

It is pertinent to mention that the incidents of robbery, kidnapping for ransom and theft have increased alarmingly in the Attock district, particularly in Rangu and Hazro areas, for the last few months, causing sense of insecurity and harassment among the people.

Recently a farmer Malik Lal of Lundi Noorpur village in the jurisdiction of Rangu Police station was kidnapped by six armed men and released after payment of Rs5 million ransom.

Armed robbers stormed the house of a government officer, Mian Abid at Haji Shah village, injured an old man Mian Atta Muhammad besides manhandling and torturing the other inmates of the house and took away valuables.

While two days before some 12 armed robbers looted cash, jewellry and other valuables worth Rs2.2 million from the house of Sheikh Idrees, brother-in-law of Attock Tehsil Nazim at Darul Salam Colony.