Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
* Captors of Colonel Imam, Khalid Khawaja, British journalist demanding ransom of $10m, release of Mullah Baradar, Mullah Mansoor Dadullah, Maulvi Kabir
* Families of former operatives also using ‘other channels’
By Iqbal Khattak
PESHAWAR: “Jihadi” and “other channels” have been opened to secure the safe return of two former ISI operatives, along with a British journalist, all of whom have been “missing” since April 26 and are believed to have been abducted by a group linked to the Taliban in North Waziristan, officials and pro-Taliban sources said on Thursday.
Former ISI officials Col Imam alias Sultan Amir Tarar and Khalid Khawaja and a British journalist of Pakistani origin, Asad Qureshi, were seen in a video provided to local and international media via email on Wednesday, with their captors – who identified themselves as “Asian Tigers” – demanding “freedom” for Taliban leaders Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Mullah Mansoor Dadullah and Maulvi Kabir in exchange for the release of the former ISI officials. They also demanded a ransom of $10 million to allow the journalist to “walk into a free world”.
Regarded as pro-Taliban, Mullah Shah Abdul Aziz – a Karak-based JUI leader of the Samiul Haq group – held talks with senior Taliban leaders in Mir Ali town of North Waziristan on Monday, while the sons of the two former spies are also using other channels to secure the release of Colonel Imam and Khalid Khawaja. Javed Ibrahim Paracha – a PML-N leader with close links to jihadi organisations – said Shah Abdul Aziz made contact with the Taliban in Mir Ali to negotiate the release of the kidnapped men.
“They spent a night with me, but before leaving me on April 26, they did not say where they were going. What I know is that the British journalist is on an assignment ... [it’s] a documentary on the Taliban ... [while] the former ISI officials are helping him,” Paracha told Daily Times over the phone from his hometown of Kohat.
A British TV network sent the journalist to Pakistan, and he sought the former intelligence operatives’ help in making contact with the Taliban. But it is not clear under what circumstances or agreement the former operatives – who hold considerable clout over the Taliban – set out with the journalist.
While the captors have threatened to kill the hostages if their demands are not met, the ISI headquarters in Islamabad appears optimistic that the former spies would return home unhurt. However, the headquarters fears that the captors might hurt the journalist if the government in London does not move.
Notwithstanding the optimism, there is worry for the two former ISI officials: the country’s secret services are trying to ensure that the hostages are not “sold out” to another group in Afghanistan, because Kabul might harm them for their support for the Taliban when the ultra-conservatives were ruling the country from 1996-2001.
The fear emanates from a “sell-out” of the past: a Peshawar-based Iranian diplomat was kidnapped from Peshawar and later rescued from Afghanistan after a deal.
“The two men will be in real danger if they are taken across the border, where they are hated for their views and role about the Taliban,” said the security officials.
Khalid Khawaja’s wife told Daily Times over the phone from Islamabad that “Usman Punjabi” was the mastermind of the kidnapping. “He is leading a group of about 50 to 60 criminals, and we believe he is behind the whole affair,” she said.
Col Imam’s son, who is a one-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the sons of Khalid Khawaja, believed to be in the defence forces, are also using “other channels” to negotiate the return of their fathers.
The official sources said it was unlikely that the government would set free the three Afghan Taliban leaders. However, they said it was likely that the ransom would be paid to bring the journalist back.
Col Imam is a respected figure among the Taliban, as he is regarded as a teacher of Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, and Col Imam was a frequent visitor to Kandahar when he was stationed in Herat. Col Imam’s abduction by the very same people who he holds in high esteem has come as a shock.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the two high-profile former spies is likely to clear when the two face the media and narrate the real story
* Captors of Colonel Imam, Khalid Khawaja, British journalist demanding ransom of $10m, release of Mullah Baradar, Mullah Mansoor Dadullah, Maulvi Kabir
* Families of former operatives also using ‘other channels’
By Iqbal Khattak
PESHAWAR: “Jihadi” and “other channels” have been opened to secure the safe return of two former ISI operatives, along with a British journalist, all of whom have been “missing” since April 26 and are believed to have been abducted by a group linked to the Taliban in North Waziristan, officials and pro-Taliban sources said on Thursday.
Former ISI officials Col Imam alias Sultan Amir Tarar and Khalid Khawaja and a British journalist of Pakistani origin, Asad Qureshi, were seen in a video provided to local and international media via email on Wednesday, with their captors – who identified themselves as “Asian Tigers” – demanding “freedom” for Taliban leaders Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Mullah Mansoor Dadullah and Maulvi Kabir in exchange for the release of the former ISI officials. They also demanded a ransom of $10 million to allow the journalist to “walk into a free world”.
Regarded as pro-Taliban, Mullah Shah Abdul Aziz – a Karak-based JUI leader of the Samiul Haq group – held talks with senior Taliban leaders in Mir Ali town of North Waziristan on Monday, while the sons of the two former spies are also using other channels to secure the release of Colonel Imam and Khalid Khawaja. Javed Ibrahim Paracha – a PML-N leader with close links to jihadi organisations – said Shah Abdul Aziz made contact with the Taliban in Mir Ali to negotiate the release of the kidnapped men.
“They spent a night with me, but before leaving me on April 26, they did not say where they were going. What I know is that the British journalist is on an assignment ... [it’s] a documentary on the Taliban ... [while] the former ISI officials are helping him,” Paracha told Daily Times over the phone from his hometown of Kohat.
A British TV network sent the journalist to Pakistan, and he sought the former intelligence operatives’ help in making contact with the Taliban. But it is not clear under what circumstances or agreement the former operatives – who hold considerable clout over the Taliban – set out with the journalist.
While the captors have threatened to kill the hostages if their demands are not met, the ISI headquarters in Islamabad appears optimistic that the former spies would return home unhurt. However, the headquarters fears that the captors might hurt the journalist if the government in London does not move.
Notwithstanding the optimism, there is worry for the two former ISI officials: the country’s secret services are trying to ensure that the hostages are not “sold out” to another group in Afghanistan, because Kabul might harm them for their support for the Taliban when the ultra-conservatives were ruling the country from 1996-2001.
The fear emanates from a “sell-out” of the past: a Peshawar-based Iranian diplomat was kidnapped from Peshawar and later rescued from Afghanistan after a deal.
“The two men will be in real danger if they are taken across the border, where they are hated for their views and role about the Taliban,” said the security officials.
Khalid Khawaja’s wife told Daily Times over the phone from Islamabad that “Usman Punjabi” was the mastermind of the kidnapping. “He is leading a group of about 50 to 60 criminals, and we believe he is behind the whole affair,” she said.
Col Imam’s son, who is a one-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the sons of Khalid Khawaja, believed to be in the defence forces, are also using “other channels” to negotiate the return of their fathers.
The official sources said it was unlikely that the government would set free the three Afghan Taliban leaders. However, they said it was likely that the ransom would be paid to bring the journalist back.
Col Imam is a respected figure among the Taliban, as he is regarded as a teacher of Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, and Col Imam was a frequent visitor to Kandahar when he was stationed in Herat. Col Imam’s abduction by the very same people who he holds in high esteem has come as a shock.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the two high-profile former spies is likely to clear when the two face the media and narrate the real story