AFP, Peshawar, Pakistan, Nov 13, 2008 (excerpts) – Unidentified gunmen kidnapped an Iranian diplomat Thursday, killing his Pakistani police guard in the troubled northwestern province bordering Afghanistan, police said.

Hashmatullah Atharzadeh was driving to the consulate in Peshawar, capital of North West Frontier Province, when unknown assailants attacked his car, police officer Banaras Khan said.

“The attackers sprayed bullets, forcing the car to stop and then dragged out the diplomat while his police guard was killed,” Khan told AFP.

They took away the diplomat in their own vehicle, another police officer, Abdul Qadir said.