RAJANPUR, March 19: Two relatives of Punjab Assembly’s deputy speaker Shaukat Mazari were kidnapped from Indus Highway in Khakhar area on Tuesday night.

Sirajuddin Mazari was returning to Rahim Yar Khan with his son-in-law Haroon Mazari after meeting Shaukat Mazari in Rojhan when his car was intercepted near Miani Phatak reportedly by some armed men who forcibly took them to some unknown place.

Siraj, the in charge of Punjab food department’s storage facilities in Rahim Yar Khan, is said to be a cousin of Shaukat Mazari. Haroon is a former member of Rojhan district council.

Sources told Dawn that an ambulance driver had informed police at around 9pm on Tuesday that some people on two pick-ups were intercepting a car on Indus Highway at Khakhar. It could not be ascertained when the police visited the area.

They further said that senior police officers, after consultations with local elders, reached the conclusion that the kidnappers took away Siraj and Haroon to Dera Bugti district of Balochistan through Khakhar Road.

Unidentified men had also taken away the car of the manager of Kashmor MNA Saleem Jan Mazari from Khakhar on Monday. Rojhan police SHO Farooq Ahmad, constables Nazar Muhammad and Muhammad Tufail were kidnapped from the same place last month.

Rojhan DSP Naveed Akram had received injuries during a shootout with highwaymen at Khakhar last week. He later succumbed to his wounds.

Sardar Sobdar Khaizai, Shaukat Mazari’s supporter Sardar Ghulam Husain Aisani Mazari and eight other men had been in police custody in connection with the killing of DSP Naveed.

Police had on March 17 arrested Ahmad Nawaz Khaird Mazari and Mahr Bhal Khan Khaird Mazari after exchange of fire when they were going to attend the qul of Shaiq Mazari, the brother of MNA Salim Jan Mazari.

Rojhan Tehsil Nazim Sardar Rafiq Azam Mazari, union councils Nazims Sardar Athar Khan Mazari, Sardar Qudrat Aziz Mazari, Fakhar Din Mazari, Sardar Nasrullah Nasir Mazari, and Sardar Shafiq Mazari had protested against the arrests.