Gomal Zam Dam workers: Court orders constitution of joint team to recover abducted men

North Waziristan political agent says kidnappers keep changing locations.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday ordered concerned authorities to form a joint team for recovering kidnapped workers of the Gomal Zam Dam project.

The team will include officials from the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Secretariat, and the political administration of North and South Waziristan agencies. The panel will meet at the Fata Secretariat to devise a strategy for recovering the abducted men.



A division bench headed by PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and comprising Justice Irshad Qaisar also directed authorities to contact Ansar Burney, a human rights activist who has offered to pay the ransom for their recovery.

Eight men working on the project were kidnapped on August 15, 2012 when they were returning home to DI Khan to celebrate Eidul Fitr with their family. Tehreek-e-Taliban later claimed responsibility and said one of the workers had been slain.

The militants have demanded Rs160 million along with the release of 17 high-profile militants.

During the hearing, the bench questioned how kidnappers were able to transport the abducted men from North to South Waziristan by passing through Razmak, which has many security checkpoints.

North Waziristan’s Political Agent Siraj Ahmed Khan maintained the kidnappers have been constantly changing their location.

Wapda’s Chief Security Officer Colonel Mateen told the bench he met Ansar Burney in Karachi and the rights activist expressed desire to meet Wapda’s chairman and families of abducted workers.

South Waziristan’s Political Agent Shahidullah told the bench 26 suspects have been arrested, but requested to brief the bench inside the chamber due to the sensitivity of the issue.

After the in-chamber meeting, the court directed officials to form a joint team and adjourned the hearing till February 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2013.