Reports claiming that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lawmaker Asif Khan Mehsud was abducted by unidentified armed men in South Waziristan have turned out to be false, according to security and official sources.
Earlier reports alleged that the member of the provincial assembly (MPA) had been kidnapped along with his associates from the Bazi area of Ladha and was being held by unknown individuals.
However, officials later clarified that Mehsud had not been abducted. Sources said security personnel had stopped the MPA from travelling further due to the prevailing security situation and advised him against proceeding with his planned visit.
According to official information, Mehsud had travelled to his hometown without informing police or security forces and was planning to meet the TTP leadership.
Authorities had earlier attempted to contact the MPA through local elders and informed his family members and local administration, urging him to avoid the event or shift it to an alternative venue because of security concerns.
Sources said Mehsud’s vehicle was stopped at a security checkpoint and he remained at the location, dismissing rumours that he had been abducted.
Officials described the kidnapping reports as baseless, saying the claims were a “drama” and that the MPA was never in the custody of unidentified armed men.