CHITRAL, Nov 3: Akhtar Kohistani, a former Afghan government official, was kidnapped from Drosh area near the Afghan border late on Sunday night.

Chitral district police chief Sher Akbar told Dawn that Mr Kohistani, who belonged to Kunar province, had married a woman in Chitral and was living here with her and children. He was a former media adviser of the Afghan ministry of rural development and rehabilitation.

Mr Akbar said relatives of the victim had not named any suspects and police had registered an FIR against unknown kidnappers. He said the kidnapped man might have been taken across the border.

According to the relatives, about 12 armed men barged into his house, held the family at gunpoint and took him away.

Mr Kohistani’s father-in-law is a brother of MNA Shahzada Mohyuddin of Chitral.

Reuters adds: Mr Kohistani is the third prominent Afghan kidnapped in Pakistan in recent weeks.

Last week, gunmen had kidnapped Ziaul Haq, a brother of Afghan Finance Minister Anwarul Haq Ahady, in Peshawar, security officials said.

Police are also searching for Afghanistan’s ambassador-designate in Pakistan Abdul Khaliq Farahi, who was kidnapped on Sept 22 in Peshawar.