A senior army officer, Lt Col Khalid Ameer, along with three of his relatives, who were kidnapped earlier this week, have been released, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday.
The release of the officer and his family members was secured through the efforts of tribal elders and local notables, leading to their safe and unconditional return home.
The abduction took place in the officer’s hometown of Mohalla Khadr Khel, where Lt Col Khalid Ameer and his two brothers were forcibly taken from a mosque while receiving condolences for their father’s recent death. The brothers, one employed by the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and the other by Nadra, were abducted by suspected militants.
In separate videos released by the kidnappers, the two brothers were seen sitting in front of a black cloth, surrounded by armed individuals with obscured faces, indicating they were in a location “far away” from government-controlled areas.
The safe return of the abductees has brought relief to their families and the local community, with the military and local authorities commending the crucial role played by the tribal elders and notables in securing their release.