Gomal Zam Dam case: FATA officials say negotiations underway for workers’ release

Court says efforts must be expedited, tells WAPDA chairman to stay in Peshawar until all men return.

PESHAWAR:

Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Secretariat officials told the Peshawar High Court on Wednesday that efforts have been initiated to recover the abducted men working on the Gomal Zam Dam project. 

Officials from the secretariat and the political administration informed a division bench comprising PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth that negotiations were underway for a settlement plan with the abductors.

A writ petition filed by Ikramullah was heard in court where he asked for the release of his abducted brother Sanaullah. Fata Law and Order Additional Secretary Riaz Mehsud told the bench that a jirga was formed comprising religious scholars and local elders.

The jirga has been tasked to negotiate with the abductors so that the Water and Power Development Authority’s (Wapda) abducted employees can be recovered safely.



During the hearing, Riaz Mehsud and South Waziristan Political Agent Shahid Khan requested the court for a smaller briefing in CJ Khan’s chambers, keeping in mind the sensitivity of the issue.

After the briefing in the chamber, the bench returned and ordered that the efforts to recover the abducted employees be expedited. The bench said that the Wapda chairman himself should stay in Peshawar until the abductees reach home.

Earlier on December 12, the court ordered that the abducted workers be recovered within seven days and for institutions concerned to use force if necessary. The PHC directed armed forces, the federal, interior and defence ministries, the K-P governor and the Fata Secretariat to recover the abducted employees at all cost.

Wapda employees had been abducted three days before Eidul Fitr in August when they were on their way home after working at the Gomal Zam Dam construction site.

According to Fata Law and Order Secretary Jamal Nasir, the kidnappers are demanding Rs160 million as ransom and release of 17 high profile militants in exchange for the workers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2012.