Brother of Afghan minister abducted in Pakistan

Oct 31, 2008, 14:52 GMT

Peshawar - Unknown gunmen on Friday abducted the brother of Afghan Finance Minister Anwarul Haq Ahadi in Pakistan's North-Western Frontier Province, his family said.

They said Ziaul Haq Ahdi was on his way home after Friday prayers at a mosque in the Hayatabag neighbourhood of Peshawar when four assailants riding a vehicle kidnapped him on gunpoint.

'We were informed about the incident by witnesses,' his elder brother Israrul Haq told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Israrul Haq has a permanent residence in Peshawar while his younger brother Ziaul Haq was visiting from Afghanistan.

No one has accepted the responsibility of the kidnapping, which came five weeks after the Afghan ambassador-designate to Pakistan, Abdul Khaleq Farahi, was abducted by armed men from the same area. His driver was killed by the attackers during the action.

The envoy, who was appointed as the Consul General in Peshawar in 2002 and was still waiting to assume charge of his new office in Islamabad, remains in captivity.

Peshawar border the country's ungoverned tribal area where Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters are believed to have safe-havens.