QUETTA, July 5: A senior government official belonging to the Shia Hazara community, which is facing a ruthless persecution campaign launched by religious extremists, was reported on Friday to have gone missing, believed kidnapped.

Jannat Ali Hazara, a section officer of the health department, had left home on Thursday for his office in the Civil Secretariat on Thursday but he neither reached the office nor returned home, this was stated in a complaint lodged by his brother Sadiq Ali, also a government official. Police believe that Jannat Ali was whisked away by gunmen from near the bicycle stand outside the secretariat.

A few days ago, Manzoor Bukhari, a section officer of the home department, was kidnapped from Sariab area when he was returning home from a mosque.

According to sources, police have raided several places to trace the kidnapped officials, but without any success.