KOHAT, Aug 27: Unidentified persons killed a retired army officer after kidnapping him at gunpoint from Defence Colony here on Saturday.

A policeman was killed and two others, including an assistant sub-inspector, were injured during exchange of fire with the kidnappers when they tried to stop their car at Dhoda Chowk.

Eyewitnesses and police said that Col (retired) Shakeel Ahmed Tariq was going to mosque to offer morning prayers when few armed men came in a car and kidnapped him at gunpoint.

The kidnappers also wrapped him in a black burqa, they said, adding that the vehicle was bearing a fake registration number, Islamabad-850.

They said that the armed men tried to whisk away the retired officer to some unspecified place through Dhodha route. They reached Indus Highway Indus Highway but a patrolling vehicle stopped their car as the entire city was sealed after police control room informed law enforcers about the incident.

The kidnappers opened indiscriminate firing at the police patrolling vehicle and killed a constable identified as Amjid Ali Shah. Sub-inspector Chinar Gul and constable Adnan were injured in the incident. The injured policemen were rushed to KDA hospital for treatment.

After some time police rescue teams started search operation in the area and found the abandoned vehicle of kidnappers at Zero Point on Indus Highway. Police found a dead body wrapped in a burqa in the rear seats of the car.

The family members confirmed that the dead body was of retired kidnapped colonel.

The assassinated retired officer was scheduled to go to Dubai through a flight at 10am on Saturday to meet his family members. His funeral will be held at 10am here on Sunday.

The funeral prayers for the killed constable, a resident of Mandoori village of Kohat, were offered in Kohat Police Lines. Kohat DIG and DPO laid floral wreaths at the coffin of the constable. Colonel (retired) Shakeel Ahmed Tariq of armoured corps of Pakistan Army had served as president of Inter-Services Selection Board (ISSB) for eight years. He also served in Military Intelligence as a major. Presently he was running a private academy for imparting training to boys to qualify tests of ISSB.

He was the son of Major (retired) Jalil Shah and brother of Nadra provincial director Col (retired) Aqeel Ahmed. He left behind a window and four children, who are living in Dubai.