PESHAWAR: After observing no significant development in efforts for the recovery of the kidnapped vice-chancellor of the Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), his family and friends have sought the help of the President and the Chief Justice of Pakistan to secure his release.

“We, the sisters, brothers and other family members of Dr Lutfullah Kakakhel request President Asif Ali Zardari to help recover the vice-chancellor who has been in the captivity of the kidnappers for the past four months,” said an open letter by the family of the missing educationist.

A copy of the letter was provided to The News on Saturday.

They also asked Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to help recover the educationist who promoted information technology across the province.

“Dr Lutfullah is a creative and hardworking scientist who created opportunities for many Pakistanis in the University of Peshawar and later in Kohat. He established the Department for Computer Science at UoP in 1984,” recalled the open letter addressed to the president.

“He established several technical institutes in various districts of the province while serving as an advisor to the then governor of NWFP. He is author of several books. The services rendered by the educationist cannot be erased from history,” said the letter.

The family of Dr Lutfullah is concerned about his health as he was suffering from high blood pressure, impaired cholesterol, fatigue and weakness. “The government seems least bothered to recover the educationist,” the family members complained.

Earlier the matter was discussed on a number of occasions with NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, who also happens to be the chancellor of KUST as well as administrative head of the tribal areas.

Dr Lutfullah, who served as an advisor to the former NWFP governor Lt Gen (R) Iftikhar Hussain Shah on education and information technology, was kidnapped from Akhurwal area in the restive Darra Adamkhel while on way from Kohat to his home in Peshawar on November 6 last year.

His driver and another companion were later freed while there have been no reports about his whereabouts. Despite a decisive operation launched in Darra Adamkhel and other towns of the semi-tribal Frontier Regions of Kohat and Peshawar, the security forces could not recover the missing vice-chancellor.

The students and teachers of the KUST as well as University of Peshawar (UoP) and other institutions staged protest to press the government for early recovery of Dr Lutfullah.The news