Quetta tribal leader returns home after abduction

A tribal leader abducted on May 15 returned home safely in Quetta on Monday, police said. In a separate incident, two women were killed and 15 people were injured when a truck overturned on the Kuchlak Bypass.

QUETTA: A tribal elder who had been missing since last week returned home safely on Monday, while a separate road accident in the provincial capital left two women dead and 15 people injured.

Police said Sardar Zafar Bazai, a resident of Sara Ghargai and a well-known tribal figure, had been abducted by unidentified men on May 15. His disappearance triggered protests by his relatives and members of the Bazai tribe, who blocked Airport Road and called for his immediate recovery.

The protest sit-in was later ended after the district administration and police assured demonstrators that efforts would be made to secure his release. On Monday at around 5pm, Bazai reached his home unharmed, according to police, bringing relief to his family and tribesmen.

Protests followed abduction

The abduction had prompted a strong reaction from the community, with family members and tribesmen staging a demonstration on a key road in Quetta. The blockade on Airport Road was lifted after officials gave assurances of prompt action.

Police did not identify the abductors in the report, but confirmed that Bazai returned safely four days after he was taken away.

Truck overturns on Kuchlak Bypass

In another incident the same day, a fast-moving truck carrying nomadic families overturned near Jehangirabad on the Kuchlak Bypass, killing two women at the scene and injuring 15 others.

Police officials said the accident occurred after the truck suffered brake failure, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle then struck another car before overturning.

The women who died were identified as Bibi Sado, wife of Shumali Khan, and Amina Bibi, wife of Shah Alam. Police said both died on the spot.

Among the injured were three women and seven children. The injured children were identified as two-year-old Usman, three-year-old Shafia, five-year-old Saima Bibi, five-year-old Dad Khan, eight-year-old Sahiba Bibi, eight-year-old Nek Bakht, and 14-year-old Nasrullah.

Other injured passengers included Bacha Khan, Rozi Khan, Farooq Khan, Makai Khan and the truck driver, Rashid Ali.

Rescue workers and police reached the site after the crash and shifted the dead and injured to hospital. After medical treatment and legal formalities were completed, the bodies were handed over to the families, police said.