The kidnapped American
As part of his work with JE Austin, Weinstein was helping import dairy chillers for farms in the rural areas of Pakistan. Like many other American aid workers in Pakistan, he was working on programmes for USAID, which could be a possible motive for his kidnapping. The danger now is that vital foreign aid programmes will grind to a halt as foreigners fear coming to the country and those who are already here flee in droves. This is especially true since Weinstein was living in the affluent Model Town area. Weinstein’s abductors need to be arrested and he must be recovered safely as soon as possible so that foreigners start feeling more secure here. The initial signs are not good as the police already seem to be scapegoating Weinstein for his own kidnapping. They claim that Weinstein should have registered himself with the police in Lahore, although how that would have prevented the kidnapping is not clear. Meanwhile, not only will every other US aid worker in Pakistan feel unsafe, they will also believe that their reasons for being in the country are being scrutinised. Here the fault lies with both the US and the Pakistan governments. Too many people, allegedly here for humanitarian reasons, have been found to do a bit of freelance spy work on the side. The worst example of this was the fake US vaccination programme that was actually taking DNA samples to locate Osama bin Laden. Section of the media loves nothing more than to cry CIA at every American. Weinstein, it seems, was caught between these competing narratives.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2011.
COMMENTS (5)
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Our citizens are as well trained as the elite US Seal Team 6. In this case we are bettter! - no evidence left behind! (In all seriousness, hope we find him unharmed.). We should ask the US to outsource all special force operations to us. Brazen, daring, in your face, disappear without a trace with perfect deniability. We are naturally good at it.
In india we have always seen these foreign AID program with suspision and I think for good reason. Pakistan will do good if they get away from this Foreign AID.
Unfortunately when the relations between Pakistan and US show some improvement something happens incidently or coinicidently and we are back to square one.All americans are not CIA agents and we must be very careful when making such statements.In fact it is a deep routed conspiracy against Pakistan and it can be said with certainity that this kiddnapping is part of some other plan being hetched against Pakistan.
The kidnappers have not demanded any ransom nor they have established contact with the government.It appears that the kidnapee may still be in Lahore locked up in some house, therefore local administration should be put on alert and all possible means be employed to apprehend the culprits.
US government does not like its citizens to be treated like this and want the government to take all measures to protect them where ever they are located and working for various organizations.Let us admit that government should have taken proper security measures to ensure security of Warren weinstein who was engaged in aid works for Pakistan including tribal areas.
We are caught up in most difficult situation and we can not afford such lapses as these may rebound sverely. US has already linked billions of dollars aid in security assistance to Pakistan doing more in war on terror.Incidents of such nature would add to our problems and complicate already complicated issues. All out efforts be launched to recover the kidnapee while ensuring that the kidnappers do not succed in taking the US worker to the tribal area.
This calls for proper security SOP about the foreigners working in Pakistan in colloboration with the countries of their origon to jointly burden the share and then to follow it strictly.If he was not registered in the Police Station, how he was operating from the provincial capital,we already have a case of Raymond Davis who later on turned out to be spy but only before his release.Let us be vigilant to avoid such incidents in future.
Government must ensure that its writ runs by recovering the kidnapped aid worker. The kidnapping is a criminal act and extraneous facts must not scuttle the investigation. The dangers of the country getting isolated are very high and the country must avoid going that road. Hope this sad saga has a happy ending.