By Javed Aziz Khan
Dr Lutfullah, a senior academician and a well-known scientist of the province, was on way back to his residence in the Professors Colony at the University of Peshawar campus after leaving his institution on Friday noon.
It was learnt that his driver and an unidentified staff member were accompanying the vice-chancellor and had reportedly been freed by the unidentified kidnappers while Dr Kakakhel along with his vehicle had been shifted to an unknown location.
It was not known as to whether he was abducted from Darra Adamkhel or Matani. The militants based in Darra Adamkhel are suspected to be behind the incident as they have resurfaced recently by kidnapping and killing people, travelling via the vulnerable Kohat Road. “He has been kidnapped from tribal area and not Peshawar,” a senior police official told The News.
A massive search operation was launched in Darra Adamkhel and Matani after his kidnapping was reported to the senior administrative officials. Teachers at the University of Peshawar and four other universities in the campus were angry over non-provision of security to an academician of the calibre of Dr Lutfullah. Many complained that militants had stopped him in the past while coming to Peshawar but the government never bothered to provide him proper security.
Dr Lutfullah played a key role in establishing universities of science and technology across the NWFP when he was appointed adviser to the-then NWFP governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah.Hailing from Nowshera district, Dr Lutfullah is the man behind promotion of the education of information technology across the province. He did his PhD in physical chemistry from the UK and authored several books.
“He was the pioneer of the Computer Science Department at the University of Peshawar, which he established after returning from the UK,” stated Anees, a relative of the missing VC, adding that two companions of the professor had been freed.