Ghazni officials confirm Fariba’s kidnapping

KABUL): The authorities in Ghazni confirmed on Monday lawmaker Fariba Ahmad Kakar had been abducted by suspected insurgents in the southern province.

The confirmation came two days after reports made headlines that Fariba had been kidnapped along with her three children while traveling from southern city of Kandahar to Kabul on August 10.

A day earlier, local officials in Ghazni said her children had been released and efforts were being made to secure Fariba’s release.

An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Pajhwok Afghan News the kidnapping issue had been resolved to some extent and would be fully resolved soon.

Fariba’s family and the Ministry of Interior had refuted reports that she had been abducted by insurgents, saying she had left for Turkey on August 10 as part of an official visit planned by the parliament.
Other security and civil officials when contacted said they had been directed by higher ups in Kabul not to speak to the media about the incident.

But a foreign news agency quoted Ghazni deputy governor Mohammad Ali Ahmadi as confirming Fariba had been kidnapped and efforts were underway to secure her release.

He said her two daughters and a son had been rescued as a result of an operation that went on to rescue her as well.

Tribal elders have also been engaged in the kidnapping saga to negotiate her release, Ahmadi said.

One of her colleagues, who wished anonymity, also confirmed the kidnapping. However, the Taliban have so far said nothing in this regard.

On August 7, on the eve of Eidul Firt festival, gunmen attacked the vehicle of another female lawmaker in Ghazni, injuring her and husband and killing their daughter.

After that incident, unknown gunmen opened fire at a vehicle carrying the son and a son-in-law of yet another female lawmaker in the same province. The attackers killed her son-in-law and seized her son alive.

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