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| India-Pakistan |
| Afghan envoy's kidnappers break silence |
| 2010-05-03 |
| The mysterious kidnappers of Afghan ambassador-designate to Pakistan, Abdul Khaliq Farahi, have broken their silence after almost a year-and-a-half to claim that the diplomat is alive and in their custody. In a videotape made available on Sunday, the grey-bearded Afghan ambassador has been shown wearing trousers and a half-sleeved shirt. Three well-built, masked Taliban fighters, armed with AK-47 assault rifles, are standing behind the handcuffed Afghan envoy in the video. Before his kidnapping, Farahi's beard was black and he was always seen dressed in a Western suit. Since his kidnapping from Peshawar's posh Hayatabad Town on September 22, 2008, there was no clue until now about his whereabouts and the identity of the men holding him hostage. On Sunday afternoon, a previously unknown militant organisation, Kateeba Salahuddin Ayubi, released a videotape of the Afghan envoy and claimed responsibility for his kidnapping. It was the first time that a militant group made such a claim. Narrating his ordeal in the videotape, the Afghan diplomat, in Pashto language, said: “I am Abdul Khaliq Farahi. Dear listeners, as you know a year-and-a-half ago, the Mujahideen arrested me from Peshawar. For the past one year and six months, I have been spending my days and nights in a very critical condition. I appeal to my government and the Afghan nation as well as the international community to make their last attempt to save my life. These people (Taliban) have accused me of working with the misled and the US-sponsored government of Afghanistan and the punishment of this crime is death sentence. This is my first and last statement. After this, these people may execute me. Once again, I appeal to the Afghan people and all communities of Afghanistan to make a last attempt and help me out of this danger.' After Farahi, an armed Taliban fighter standing behind him began to deliver his statement in an aggressive tone. Besides highlighting so-called successes and achievements of the Mujahideen, he said it was the blessing of Almighty Allah that the Mujahideen had captured Farahi. “This man, Abdul Khaliq Farahi, is an Afghan national. He is in our jail now. He was Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan when captured by the Mujahideen. Pakistan too is a renegade state and is helping the US as a frontline state,' the Taliban militant alleged. He said the Afghan envoy was in their custody for the past year-and-a-half but they did not make it public as they were holding secret talks with the Karzai government. “We were holding negotiations with the Karzai government and forwarded our demands for his release. Our demands were legitimate and in the interest of Islam, Mujahideen and the Afghan people. A week before issuing this video, the Mujahideen suspended their talks as Karzai and his government did not show any seriousness in the negotiations and refused to answer questions. The Karzai government used delaying tactics and tried to further extend the negotiations. It didn't feel any mercy on this prisoner. Many people approached us for this prisoner and we informed them about our demands,' he explained. He said they were disappointed due to the delaying tactics of the Afghan government and had, therefore, decided to break their long silence and inform the media through the videotape. “After this, people should not blame us as we waited for a year-and-a-half. We wanted to wait and see if Almighty Allah could have mercy on this poor prisoner and people could seek pardon for him so that nobody could align and work with the US in future. The people should not blame us afterwards,' he warned in a forceful voice. Farahi, who belongs to Farah province in Afghanistan, served as the Afghan consul general in both Quetta and Peshawar. He had been promoted as Afghanistan's ambassador in Islamabad but had not yet taken over the charge. He had fought in the Afghan Jihad against the Soviet occupying forces. Once after his kidnapping, officials had confirmed that he had been recovered from Khyber Agency, but this proved false. There had been rumours that Farahi had been executed by his kidnappers or that he had been severely tortured. |
| Posted by:ryuge |