Pakistani militants claim kidnapping of Chinese engineers

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The Swat chapter of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers of Zong cellular company and their Pakistani driver and guard and warned of more abduction of foreigners.

The two engineers, Zhanggua and Lung, travelling in a red-coloured 4x4 double-cabin vehicle (J-4367) along with their security guard, Imranullah, and driver, Khalil, went missing in Khall area of Dir Lower district on Friday last when they returned from inspecting a site of a tower at Khrarai.

No organisation accepted responsibility for the kidnapping of the Chinese for four days, putting the Dir Upper and Lower administrations in a trouble. However, Maulana Fazlullah-commanded Taliban, operating in the scenic Swat valley, Tuesday claimed responsibility for the abduction of the two Chinese engineers and their guard and driver.

"Yes, we have picked them up and they are in our captivity," the spokesman for the Swat chapter of the organisation, Muslim Khan, said from an undisclosed location. About reports that suggested one of the Chinese has been killed, he said the captives were alive.

To a query, he said they would not spare any foreigner, whether Chinese or British, and would kidnap them if spotted in the area. About the demand and release of the Chinese, the TTP spokesman said their fate would be decided by the central shura (consultative body) of the organisation soon. He said they would make public their demand for release of the captives.

The elders and people of both the districts are angry at the kidnapping of the Chinese, who enjoy a good reputation as friends of Pakistan. A grand jirga (tribal council) of the two districts, comprising influential maliks (tribal leaders) and other elders, is meeting tomorrow (Thursday) in Dir Lower to discuss the situation and take steps for recovery of the Chinese and their Pakistani driver and guard.

The elders, who met on September 1, have already warned of strict action against the kidnappers if they were found hailing from the two districts and made it clear they would not tolerate such activities in hitherto peaceful districts. A security official, who remained engaged in the investigation of the Chinese kidnapping, said that they expected a breakthrough by Thursday and hoped the Chinese would be recovered.

To a question, he said they had looked into the possibility of involvement of local people in the crime, as Dir was not known for such activities. It was difficult to trace them, he added, but once the responsibility for the kidnapping was claimed, they would be able to retrieve the Chinese.

"The elders are also gearing up for taking action. They are committed not to allow certain elements that could put the peace of the area at stake. So let's hope for the best," he said.

After the kidnapping, 15 Chinese engineers stationed in Dir, the district headquarters of Dir Upper district, left the area to avoid further embarrassment. However, a 40-member team of Pakistani staff of the Zong is still in the area to expand the cellular company's service in the mountainous districts of Dir.