PESHAWAR, Jan 13: Mystery continues to shroud the whereabouts of Punjab Sports and Culture Minister Naeemullah Shahani who has gone missing in Miramshah, headquarters of North Waziristan Agency , since Jan 10 where he had purportedly gone to buy a non-custom paid car.

Despite massive search operation, the authorities of agency and Bannu Frontier Region are clueless about the missing minister. Brig Mahmood Shah, secretary (security) NWFP Governor's Fata Secretariat, told Dawn here on Tuesday that the agency's administration was conducting investigations on different lines.

He said the scope of search operation had been extended to the entire agency and Razmak where the minister was reportedly seen last. The owners of the bargain centre were also being questioned, he added.

Mr Shah acknowledged that "the local administration has not made any breakthrough in the case so far," but ruled out any chances that the minister had been whisked across the border.

Provincial Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, when approached by journalists at a function at around 1300 hours, avoided to make any comment. Official sources said the administration in the North Waziristan tribal agency and the Bannu FR had increased the number of Khasadar Force at different checkpoints in the area and had also sought help from the tribal elders to trace Mr Shahani.

Preliminary reports said Mr Shahani visited Miramshah to purchase a non-custom paid vehicle. Local people, quoting the owners of Shawal Motors, said the minister had finalised a deal for 92-model Toyota Surf in Rs300,000 and paid Rs98,000 in advance and left the town on Jan 10.

EMPLOYEES HELD: The administration arrested four employees of Shawal Motors, the bargain centre in Miramshah. They are: Khan Faraz, Din Wali, Shah Jehan and Gurmaz. The four are being questioned by the local authorities.