BANNU: Five workers of the National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) were abducted by unidentified armed men while they were working on a project.

Police sources said the incident took place in the Mamash khel area within the jurisdiction of the Cantt police station. The workers were laying communication cables when armed men arrived. The attackers forced them into custody at gunpoint. The abductors fled to an undisclosed location. The incident created panic and fear in the area.

The abducted workers have been identified as Mohammad Ali, Zahid Khan, Ghulam Sadiq, Noor Habib, and Wahidullah. All of them reportedly belong to Bajaur and were part of a government-linked development project aimed at improving communication infrastructure in the region.

Following the incident, security forces and law enforcement agencies immediately launched a large-scale search and intelligence-based operation to trace the whereabouts of the abducted individuals. Authorities are investigating the matter from multiple angles to identify and apprehend those responsible.

Meanwhile, terrorists blew up a government high school in the Hakumat Mamandkhel area of Bannu with explosives.

According to sources, the powerful blast extensively damaged the building. Fortunately, no loss of life was reported in the incident.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the incident.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026