Militants release 8 kidnapped officials of Gomal Zam Dam project
Senior WAPDA official say the officials have now safely reached Bannu.
Relatives of the kidnapped workers protesting at the Peshawar Press Club. PHOTO: PPI
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN:
Local militants in South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday released at least eight kidnapped officials including engineers and technicians of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) without any pre-conditions, officials said.
"They were handed over to local administration on the border of South and North Waziristan," spokesperson of the governor's house in Peshawar, Muhammad Haroon told AFP.
An official from the Governor House confirmed that the employees were released and said that none of the Taliban commanders or militants were handed over to the kidnappers in return.
He said that the officials were working on the Gomal Zam dam project when they were kidnapped two years ago, adding that the tribal elders in South Waziristan played an important role in securing safe release of the officials.
The Gomal Zam Dam was inaugurated in South Waziristan by Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif, along with the US Ambassador Richard Olson and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governor Shaukatullah Khan.
A senior WAPDA official, Tahir Khan also confirmed the release and said that the officials have now safely reached the northwestern town of Bannu.
K-P governor Shaukatullah Khan said in a statement that it was a big achievement for the government.
Local militants in South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday released at least eight kidnapped officials including engineers and technicians of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) without any pre-conditions, officials said.
"They were handed over to local administration on the border of South and North Waziristan," spokesperson of the governor's house in Peshawar, Muhammad Haroon told AFP.
An official from the Governor House confirmed that the employees were released and said that none of the Taliban commanders or militants were handed over to the kidnappers in return.
He said that the officials were working on the Gomal Zam dam project when they were kidnapped two years ago, adding that the tribal elders in South Waziristan played an important role in securing safe release of the officials.
The Gomal Zam Dam was inaugurated in South Waziristan by Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif, along with the US Ambassador Richard Olson and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governor Shaukatullah Khan.
A senior WAPDA official, Tahir Khan also confirmed the release and said that the officials have now safely reached the northwestern town of Bannu.
K-P governor Shaukatullah Khan said in a statement that it was a big achievement for the government.