In a positive development, four out of the six young footballers who were kidnapped in Balochistan’s Dera Bugti district on September 9 have been successfully rescued. This achievement was made possible through the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies, the local administration, and the provincial government.
The six football players were abducted while en route to Sibi to participate in the Chief Minister Balochistan Gold Cup tournament when armed militants forcefully seized them in the Sangsila area of Dera Bugti district earlier this month.
This incident highlighted the precarious security situation in certain areas of Balochistan. A senior administration official confirmed the abduction, raising immediate concerns for the safety of the players.
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In response, security measures were rapidly increased in the affected region. Saleh Muhammad Nasar, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of Balochistan, disclosed that an extensive search operation was launched to locate the missing footballers.
The seriousness of the situation prompted caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki to take immediate action. In an official statement from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, it was revealed that CM Domki instructed the local administration to redouble their efforts to ensure the safe and unharmed return of the abducted football players.
Additionally, the chief minister called for the formation of a joint team, comprising Levies paramilitary forces and the police, to coordinate and expedite efforts aimed at locating and rescuing the remaining two abducted athletes.
While four of the players have been successfully reunited with their families, the search for the remaining two continues.
