By Riaz Baloch
CHAGHAI : Three Excise Department officials were abducted by unidentified armed men in a serious security incident on the Dalbandin–Taftan Highway in Balochistan’s Chaghai district, raising fresh concerns about law and order along one of the province’s key transit routes.
According to initial reports, the officials were carrying out routine duties at a temporary checkpoint near the Dhadar area when heavily armed attackers set up an illegal checkpoint and launched a surprise assault. The assailants reportedly disarmed the officers before taking all three officials hostage.
The attackers also seized two government vehicles and official weapons before fleeing the area.
Police and security forces rushed to the scene soon after the incident was reported. A large-scale search and cordon operation has been launched across Chaghai district to locate the abducted officials, recover the stolen government property, and apprehend those responsible.
The Dalbandin–Taftan Highway, which connects Quetta with the Taftan border crossing, is considered a strategically important route for trade and travel. The latest abduction has once again highlighted the ongoing security challenges in Balochistan, particularly along the Quetta–Taftan corridor.
Authorities have increased security and surveillance in the region while investigations into the attack continue. Officials say every effort is being made to ensure the safe recovery of the kidnapped Excise personnel.
