Contrived agreement: Kidnapped WAPDA workers released
Workers handed over to assistant political agent, power supply to area resumed.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
Two Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) employees who were earlier kidnapped were released on Tuesday after a jirga of Kaka Khel was held.
The Wapda employees who worked for the Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company (Tesco), Superintendent Jawad Iqbal and driver Raheem Khan, were kidnapped from the Wana-DI Khan road in Tani on October 6. The incident occurred within the territory of the Kaka Khel tribe, a sub-tribe of Ahmadzai Wazir, and the workers were taken to an unidentified location. The electricity supply to the area was shut off in retaliation.
Under the collective responsibility act of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), the tribe had been previously asked to produce the kidnapped persons during a jirga held with the political agent of South Waziristan, Shahidullah Khan. However, this did not result in the workers being released.
After another jirga of the Kaka Khel tribe, the Wapda employees were released to the assistant political agent of Wana, Shahid Ali, in his Wana Scouts Camp office. Malik Azizullah, who presided over the jirga, told The Express Tribune that the men were released only because of the jirga’s efforts.
After they were handed over, the assistant political agent ordered the resumption of electricity from the Wana grid station. This is the first time, however, that the government had cut off electricity because of a kidnapping incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2012.
Two Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) employees who were earlier kidnapped were released on Tuesday after a jirga of Kaka Khel was held.
The Wapda employees who worked for the Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company (Tesco), Superintendent Jawad Iqbal and driver Raheem Khan, were kidnapped from the Wana-DI Khan road in Tani on October 6. The incident occurred within the territory of the Kaka Khel tribe, a sub-tribe of Ahmadzai Wazir, and the workers were taken to an unidentified location. The electricity supply to the area was shut off in retaliation.
Under the collective responsibility act of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), the tribe had been previously asked to produce the kidnapped persons during a jirga held with the political agent of South Waziristan, Shahidullah Khan. However, this did not result in the workers being released.
After another jirga of the Kaka Khel tribe, the Wapda employees were released to the assistant political agent of Wana, Shahid Ali, in his Wana Scouts Camp office. Malik Azizullah, who presided over the jirga, told The Express Tribune that the men were released only because of the jirga’s efforts.
After they were handed over, the assistant political agent ordered the resumption of electricity from the Wana grid station. This is the first time, however, that the government had cut off electricity because of a kidnapping incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2012.