Defying restrictions: ‘Chinese national did not have NOC’

PESHAWAR: Hong Xu Dong, a Chinese national recently kidnapped from DI Khan, was not carrying a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, officials told The Express Tribune on Monday. They said there was a clear policy for foreign nationals travelling across the province, adding all foreigners including tourists, aid workers or people on diplomatic missions are supposed to inform the provincial government and seek an NOC  prior to their visit so adequate security arrangements can be put in place. He said an investigation was under way as law enforcement agencies have already launched a search operation to recover the abducted Chinese national. Dong was on a cycling tour of the country and was travelling to Balochistan from Peshawar on a bicycle when he was picked up from Daraban area, 65 kilometres from DI Khan,at around 2pm on May 19. A faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and demanded release of their prisoners in return for the tourist.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2014.