WAZIRISTAN (MNN); Eight police personnel, including a station house officer (SHO) and members of the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU), were allegedly abducted by unidentified armed men in Upper South Waziristan on Wednesday, prompting a large-scale security operation to secure their recovery.
District Police Officer (DPO) Arshad Khan confirmed the incident, stating that the abducted officials included Sararogha SHO Ahmad Shah and two BDU personnel.
According to police officials, the team had been deployed to the remote Partogai area of Sararogha tehsil to defuse a suspected unexploded ordnance (UXO), a dangerous explosive device that had failed to detonate and posed a potential threat to local residents.
Police sources said the Bomb Disposal Unit successfully neutralised the explosive device and completed all operational procedures before beginning its return journey.
However, while travelling back to the police station, the police vehicle was reportedly intercepted by unidentified armed men, who took the personnel hostage and transported them to an undisclosed location.
Initial reports suggest that the kidnappers had been lying in wait and launched the abduction after the police team completed its mission and started returning from the area.
Following the incident, security forces and police launched an extensive search and recovery operation across Upper South Waziristan.
DPO Arshad Khan said all available resources had been mobilised to trace the abductors and ensure the safe recovery of the kidnapped officials.
Security checkpoints and temporary blockades have been established along key mountain routes, entry and exit points, and other sensitive locations in an effort to restrict the movement of the kidnappers and gather intelligence about their whereabouts.
“The safe recovery of the abducted personnel is our highest priority. Investigations are under way from every possible angle, and all available resources are being utilised,” the DPO said.
Police officials confirmed that an initial report of the incident has been entered into the daily police register, while further legal and investigative proceedings are continuing.
The kidnapping has triggered concern among local residents, tribal elders and community leaders, who have urged authorities to take swift and effective measures to secure the release of the abducted personnel.
Civil society representatives and local elders have also called for enhanced security arrangements in the region to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The abduction comes amid a worsening security situation in Upper South Waziristan, where a noticeable rise in militant violence and law-and-order incidents has been recorded in recent weeks.
Several shooting incidents and security-related attacks have been reported across the district during the past two weeks, resulting in casualties and injuries.
Police and administrative officials acknowledge that security challenges have intensified in the area, contributing to growing anxiety among residents.
Security analysts warn that such incidents not only pose serious challenges for law enforcement agencies but also disrupt daily life and development activities in the region.
Local residents have appealed to both federal and provincial authorities to take urgent and coordinated action to restore peace and curb the growing wave of violence in Upper South Waziristan.
The incident comes against the backdrop of a broader deterioration in Pakistan’s security environment. According to recent assessments by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the country witnessed a significant increase in terrorist violence during May 2026, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, reversing two months of relative improvement in the security situation.
