A police official says gunmen kidnapped and killed a retired army colonel in northwestern Pakistan, and a police officer died trying to rescue him.

Umer Hayat says the gunmen seized Col. (r) Shakeel Ahmad on Saturday as he was on his way home from morning prayers in the garrison city of Kohat.

Hayat says police intercepted the gunmen’s car at a checkpoint and engaged them in a firefight.

One police officer was killed and two others were wounded. The gunmen escaped and later shot dead Ahmad and abandoned his body alongside a road.

No group has claimed responsibility.