TTP man snatched Chinese tourist

High-level meeting of police, intelligence officials confirms Chinese tourist was kidnapped by TTP commander Sher Ali.

DI KHAN: A high-level meeting of police and intelligence officials on Friday confirmed that a Chinese tourist had been kidnapped by a local Taliban commander, Sher Ali, in the Kot Sultan area of Tehsil Kulachi.

Hong Xu Dong was kidnapped near Kulachi Mur in the Daraban area on the road from DI Khan to Zhob in Balochistan on May 19. He was reportedly travelling on bicycle towards Zhob.

While it is not clear which Taliban group Sher Ali is affiliated with, a kidnappers group led by Amin Khan Malang is said to have assisted in the kidnapping.

Earlier TTP Senior Commander Abdullah Bahar confirmed to the media that they held the tourist.

“He is now in our hands and this is an act of our fighters,” Bahar had said, adding, “We demand the release of our prisoners in government custody.”

According to an intelligence report, police in DI Khan have finalised preparations for a large scale operation to recover the tourist.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2014.