KOHAT, Feb 1: After failing to get closer to any kind of tip about the captors of Punjab minister for sports and culture, Naeemullah Shah Shahani and his three companions in the southern tribal belt of NWFP , chief minister Akram Durrani has directed to continue search operation.

Mr Durrani held a meeting at the Frontier House, Bannu, soon after arriving in his home town on Sunday, was briefed about the efforts made during last 23 days for the recovery of the Punjab minister who went missing in Miranshah on January 10.

The home secretary told the chief minister that investigations had been made from every angle right from his presence in Afghanistan to his murder by his captors but so far no success had been made.

The meeting also apprehended that in the beginning when North Waziristan had become the focal point of probe and then the frontier region of Bannu the minister might had been shifted to somewhere else or killed by the captors after realizing nature of the case and fear of getting harsh punishment from both by the government and the tribesmen.