PESHAWAR: Khyber Agency political authorities ‘honoured’ their commitment to the kidnappers of a schoolboy by releasing two of their accomplices, each serving 14-year prison terms. The kidnappers released Nouman, nephew of Peshawar Central Jail Superintendent Khalid Abbas, after three months on March 13. Nouman’s release followed the release of Muhammad Khan and Lal Baz from Peshawar and Kohat central jails, respectively, sources told Daily Times. Sources said that the kidnappers belonged to the Zakhakhel tribe. The kidnappers took Nouman hostage on December 7 last year to get their accomplices released from jails, but the Peshawar jail superintendent initially rejected their demands, sources said. The authorities failed to recover Nouman and instead lost Bakhat Mir of the Khasadar Force (tribal police) when the force tried to arrest the kidnappers from Bara on January 5. Later, the authorities formed a jirga of the Zakhakhel tribe, headed by Malik Habib Jan, which helped them strike a deal with the kidnappers under which six accomplices of the abductors had to be freed in return for Nouman’s release, said the sources.
The political authorities denied that the boyÂ’s release was the result of a deal, adding that they had paid no ransom nor released any criminal in return. The Peshawar jail superintendent said that he had no authority to arrest or release a prisoner, and that he had refused to strike a deal for the release of his nephew. Only the political agent could tell if there was any deal, he added. Khyber Agency Political Agent Fidaullah Wazir refused to comment.