Four out of the six abducted footballers recovered

Four out of the six abducted footballers recovered are reported to have been recovered.

Balochistan’s Additional Chief Secretary Saleh Nasir on Friday confirmed that four out of the six footballers who were abducted in Dera Bugti have been recovered and reunited with their families.

According to the province’s Additional Chief Secretary, the abducted footballers were rescued thanks to collaborative efforts by the local administration and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

“The remaining two footballers will also be recovered soon,” he assured.

No further details of the operation were provided.

Six footballers were abducted from Balochistan’s Jani Bair area of Dera Bugti while on their way to Sibbi, earlier this month on September 9.

They were on their way to Sibi to participate in the qualifying round of the All Pakistan Chief Minister Gold Cup football tournament.

Five of the six players were identified as Aamir Bugti, Faisal Bugti, Sohail Bugti, Yasar Bugti, and Sheraz Bugti.

Following the incident, Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti blamed terrorists for the kidnapping.

“An operation is being planned to recover the players. Teams of Frontier Corps, deputy commissioner, commissioner, and Levies Force were working to trace the suspects,” Bugti said.

No group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping but Caretaker Federal Minister for Interior Sarfaraz Bugti, who hails from Dera Bugti, has said the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), an outlawed separatist group, was behind the kidnapping.