Missile’s model ‘disappears’ from Abbottabad city

ABBOTTABAD: The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Ghauri Missile monument installed by Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Research Laboratory at Karakoram Highway in the city has yet to be resolved as the model was removed from Mandian Chowk during Eid holidays.

The monument was installed about 24 years back in October 1999 by Dr. A.Q. Khan Research Laboratory on the request of the then Chief Minister Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan.

The then Commissioner Hazara Ghulam Dastagir Akhtar, who later retired as chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had installed the monument at Mandian Chowk on the Mansehra Road.

The chowk was known as Missile Chowk.

Renowned scientist Dr Muhammad Farooq, who was a close associate of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, also took keen interest in this project.

Being son of the soil, Dr Farooq was very sensitive about its maintenance and he with the support of former Commissioner Hazara Abid Ali Khan managed to renovate it.

The news of the disappearance of the model of the missile spread like wildfire among the people.

Someone reported

the disappearance of the model of the missile on social media while others termed it incompetence

of the cantonment board, police and other institutions.

The people demanded an inquiry into the theft to take stern action against the people involved.

The cantonment board authorities could not be contacted due to official holidays.

However, Abdul Waheed, in-charge police post Jinnahabad in his statement shared with the media, said that cantonment board staff headed by Tariq Khan, encroachment in-charge, removed the model from Missile Chowk and took it to his office on the official vehicle.

He claimed that they would reinstall the model after necessary repairs.

Similarly, the media staff of the district police officer also confirmed that Cantonment Board Abbottabad had removed the model. A