Pakistani Taliban free top govt official after holding him hostage
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Feb 23, IRNA – Taliban in Pakistan's troubled Swat valley Sunday freed a top government official after kidnapping him hostage for several hours, officials said.
Khushal Khan, District Coordination Office, was heading to Swat when gunmen kidnapped him and his six guards from Qambar, a town two kilometers from Mingora, the main city of Swat.
Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan had said the official was 'not kidnapped' but was stopped 'as a guest' for a cup of tea.
But many did not agree with the Taliban's statement as the official was help for almost four hours.
"We have allowed him to go after taking care of him as a guest," the Taliban spokesman said.
The incident happened despite a truce between the government and the militants.
The government in the North West Frontier Province and militants had announced ceasefire after an agreement was signed for the implementation of Islamic laws on Monday.
The militants indicated that they can extend the 10-day ceasefire in Swat, a district in North West Frontier Province, about 150km northeast of the regional capital Peshawar and with a population of 1.8 million.
Swat has been a hotbed of militancy over the past nearly two years, claiming lives of hundreds of people, majority civilians.
Hundreds of thousands of people had fled the area due to fighting and witnesses said Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Sunday started returning.
Locals said that the security forces removed some check posts after the ceasefire and lifting of curfew.
Male education institutions will be opened on Monday but the girls' schools will remain closed as Taliban have not yet removed a ban they had imposed last month.
The Taliban leader Mulla Fazalullah announced through his illegal FM radio station last night that girls can only appear in examinations and that decision on lifting of ban will be announced later.
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