Pakistan: Minister Fazal Shakoor ‘Kidnapped’ by Armed Men; PTI Condemns (Videos)

Unidentified masked armed men reportedly intercepted and whisked away Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Public Health Engineering Fazal Shakoor Khan at gunpoint near the exit of the Peshawar Motorway on Monday afternoon, September 21, his staff and party leadership alleged. While his aides described the daytime incident as an abduction, it remains unverified whether the minister was formally taken into custody by law enforcement or abducted by non-state actors, as no agency has officially acknowledged an arrest.

According to his staff and leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), the minister was travelling to the provincial capital to attend an official meeting when his vehicle was blocked within the limits of the Chamkani police station, Dawn reported. Alam Khan, the personal secretary to the minister, stated that armed men, some appearing in police uniforms, rounded up the minister’s car at the motorway exit before moving him to an undisclosed location. Aleema Khan Detained in Pakistan: Imran Khan’s Sister Taken Into Custody Ahead of PTI March (Video).

Fazal Shakoor ‘Kidnapped’ by Armed Men

Video Shows Armed Men Firing at Moving Vehicle

A video circulating across social media platforms captured several masked armed individuals confronting the minister's vehicle in traffic. In the clip, one masked individual is seen pulling at the car's door while another discharges multiple gunshots at the tyres of the moving vehicle to force it to a halt.

The footage triggered sharp reactions from provincial authorities. In a statement posted on X, Provincial Minister for Information Shafi Jan described the episode as an unlawful assault on democratic institutions: “We will not be intimidated by such tactics. Snatching away the right to peaceful political struggle is the height of fascism, but we will continue to fight for our rights while remaining within the bounds of the Constitution and law,” he said, characterizing the incident as an attack on the Constitution and public mandate.  Imran Khan Shifted to Shifa Hospital From Adiala Jail in Pakistan After Supreme Court Order.

A senior PTI leader told Dawn that party officials were completely clueless about the whereabouts or legal status of the minister. The leader alleged that the police, chief secretary, and administrative apparatus were supporting the ‘other side’ rather than the provincial administration.

Counter-Terrorism FIR Against Minister Shakil Khan

The incident marks the second high-profile episode involving a sitting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet member in recent days, following a confrontation involving Minister for Communication and Works Shakil Khan in Batkhela on Sunday.

On Monday, an FIR under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) was registered against Shakil Khan and his security personnel at the CTD Bajaur police station in the Malakand region. The Counter-Terrorism Department raided the minister's residence, but officials stated he managed to escape alongside his gunmen.

According to the police FIR, an intelligence personnel member, Naik Bilal, who sustained gunshot wounds in Batkhela, alleged that a vehicle stopped in front of his car while he was on routine duty with a senior officer. Bilal alleged that Shakil Khan and three others stepped out and opened fire with the intent of spreading terror, injuring him in the back while his companions escaped. The CTD registered a case under Sections 7 ATA, 34, 427, and 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In contrast, an official written plea submitted by Shakil Khan to the Malakand deputy commissioner and Levies Force commandant surfaced online, presenting a divergent account. The minister stated he had faced kidnapping and death threats, asserting that unidentified assailants in a suspicious car fired at him first when he visited Batkhela for condolences, prompting his security detail to return fire in self-defence against an alleged abduction attempt.

The twin developments sparked demonstrations by PTI workers across several districts. In Malakand, party workers demonstrated outside the Malakand Press Club under the leadership of district president Abbas Khan and general secretary Pir Islam Ghazi, demanding a judicial inquiry into the Batkhela clash and the withdrawal of terror charges.

Simultaneously, party workers gathered at Farooq Azam Chowk in Charsadda to protest the interception of Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan, alleging he was seized at gunpoint and demanding his immediate release. Addressing the crowd, former district leaders Aziz Khan and Gul Nawaz criticized the federal administration over the escalating friction between state agencies and provincial representatives.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2026 06:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).