Unidentified gunmen abducted Khalil Ahmed Dale, a British national and staff member of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), from inside the security zone in provincial capital Quetta on Thursday.
According to details, a team of ICRC, including Health Programme Manager Khalil Ahmed Dale, was returning to office after visiting local hospitals when some unidentified armed men intercepted their official vehicle and asked the driver to open the door locks. One of the team members Dr Ahmad, a local doctor, asked the driver not to resist. “The armed men pounced upon Dale and dragged him out of the car and into a waiting SUV before driving away in the direction of the airport,” the DIG (Operations) told reporters.
The team was hardly 200 meters away from its office in Chaman Housing Scheme when the incident took place, an ICRC staff member said on the condition of anonymity. He said Dale, who must be around 60, was Scottish and had been serving the people of Balochistan for the last one year. Police officer Nazir Kurd said police and other security forces deployed on all exit and entry points around city had been put on alert. It is the second incident of kidnapping of a foreigner in Quetta. In the previous incident in the same area, American John Solecki, head of UNHCR Quetta office, had been kidnapped while his driver Syed Hashim was killed by militants of the Baloch Liberation United Front (BLUF) on February 2, 2009. However, he was set free in April that very year. Police have registered a case and started investigation. Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani strongly condemned the incident and directed police to make all efforts for Dale’s early and safe recovery.
On the other hand, the ICRC announced to continue its humanitarian work in Pakistan despite the abduction and called for a rapid and unconditional release of its staff member. The ICRC currently has no indication of the abductors’ identities or motives. Dale’s family was informed immediately, it said.