Pakistan arrests nephew of top Swat militant

PESHAWAR: The Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies arrested a nephew of banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Swat chapter chief Maulana Fazlullah from Pirsabak village in Nowshera district early Friday.According to the sources, the personnel of security forces and sleuths of intelligence agencies raided the house of 23-year-old Qari Dost Muhammad, Fazlullah’s nephew, in Kuzkhel neighbourhood of Pirsabak and arrested him. He was blindfolded and shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.The raiding team also took a bag full of books, certificates, important documents and a pair of clothes of Qari Dost Muhammad along with them.The Qari, whose father Muhammad Akbar was residing in Shangla, had recently shifted along with his family members to Pirsabak and was living in a rented house in Kuzkhel neighbourhood. It was learnt he moved his family to Swabi after military operation Rah-e-Rast was launched against the militants in Swat. Qari Dost Muhammad had, however, been living in Pirsabak area for the last 10 years while getting religious education there. He also served as prayer leader in various mosques in the locality and as teacher in a seminary run by Maulana Safdar.Foster mother of Qari Dost Muhammad later confirmed the security forces raided their house early in the day and searched it thoroughly. She said they took Qari and a bag full of books and documents along with them. She said they requested the law-enforcement agencies to release her son as he was the only breadwinner for the family, but they took him to an unknown place.The sources said that father of Qari Dost Muhammad had been missing from the day the military action was launched in Swat against Fazlullah-led militants and his relatives and friends still do not know his whereabouts.