MINGORA, May 11: Unidentified gunmen kidnapped sons of a former provincial minister in the MMA government in the insurgency-affected Matta sub-district, his family said.

They said that gunmen snatched two young boys of former minister for agriculture, Qari Mehmood, from their vehicle near Matta’s research centre. The missing boys have been identified as Nasir Mehmood and Saeed Mehmood.

This is the third such incident during the last week. The kidnappings are appeared to be aimed at extracting ransom. No demand has so far come from the kidnappers’ of Qari Mehmood’s two sons.

Prof Altaf Hussain, a teacher of Jehanzeb College, who was kidnapped while on his way home from college, is still missing.

Matta has been the worst affected by militancy and remains largely outside the government’s control. Militants in Swat have announced a ceasefire following a meeting with a committee led by Provincial Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour.