ISLAMABAD, Sept 25: The government on Tuesday asked militants in South Waziristan to release unconditionally over 200 soldiers held hostage by them.
“A jirga is holding negotiations with the militants and the government is hopeful of their safe release,” Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema told Dawn.
“We will not go for any bargain and we have asked tribal leaders to release the soldiers unconditionally. There will be no quid pro quo,” he said.
The Mehsud tribe has claimed to have captured over 240 army personnel, including a colonel, last month.
Earlier in his weekly press briefing, Brig Cheema said the situation in tribal areas was improving as a result of negotiations involving tribal elders. “Twenty-six security personnel have been released and we expect further progress in the days ahead,” he added.
He said the government was trying to establish peace and order in the tribal areas so that attention could be focussed on development of the region for the welfare of tribesmen.
About United States’ criticism of the arrest of opposition leaders, the spokesman said it was an internal matter of Pakistan. “We know better what to do.”
Shouldnt this be in a different article instead of clubbing these two? Is dawn trying the hide the reaction?
He said that leaders and activists of political parties in the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) had been arrested in order to maintain law and order.
Brig Cheema said some political leaders and over 100 activists had been placed under preventive detention to maintain calm around the Supreme Court hearing important petitions and the offices of the Election Commission completing procedures for the presidential election.
Answering a question about APDM’s plan to besiege the Supreme Court and the Election Commission, he said the government was left with no option but to take action to maintain peace and order and protect the sanctity of institutions. “Section 144 has been imposed in Islamabad and many other parts of the country to avoid any disturbance,” he said.
He said offices and educational institutions would remain open in the capital on Sep 29 — the day of scrutiny of nomination papers for the presidential election at the Election Commission.