Quid pro quo: 6 elders arrested under FCR released in SWA

DI KHAN:

The political administration of South Waziristan Agency has released six elders of Suleman Khel tribe who had been arrested earlier on charges of collective responsibility for the abduction of eight workers of FATA Development Authority (FDA).

The elders of Suleman Khel tribe were released to help find the abducted persons. “The local jirga is helping us find the abductees,” an official of the political administration told The Express Tribune.

Malik Samtullah Sulemen Khel, who is among the elders who were released, said, “The government released us after listening to our plea as we said we will coordinate and help find the abducted persons.”

The elders plan to visit the area where the FDA workers were abducted, hold a jirga there and put forth its best efforts to find those who were kidnapped, Samtullah added.

“The government and the public are afraid as such incidents tend to disturb peace in the region,” the elder added.

The six elders who were released were among the 22 people of Suleman Khel tribe arrested after the collapse of the 24-hour deadline on Friday. As the deadline approached on Friday, the political administration initiated a crackdown against Sulemen Khel tribe under the FCR.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2016.