Kidnappers free Colonel Imam, Asad Qureshi

[Mujahid]

ISLAMABAD: Former ISI official Colonel Imam and a British journalist of Pakistani origin Asad Qureshi were released on Thursday in North Waziristan by a militant group calling itself the Asian Tigers.

The group belongs is believed to be operating in North Waziristan and kidnapped the two on March 26, 2010. Among the people abducted was former ISI official Khalid Khwaja, who was recently killed by the group.

Khwaja’s body was found near a stream in Karam Kot, about seven kilometres south of North Waziristan’s main town of Mirali.

Locals said they had seen Khwaja’s body, but did not pick it up for fear of attacks from the militants.

A senior official said a jirga of residents and clerics deputed by the local administration finally retrieved Khwaja’s body.

Officials said Khwaja’s body was taken to Islamabad and handed over to his family. A note was found with his body which said that Khwaja was working for the Americans and anybody working for them would meet the same fate. — DawnNews

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Kidnappers free Colonel Imam, Asad Qureshi

 

[Ahmad]

working for the americans? but everybody believed he was a taliban sympathizer.

 

[deepak75]

working for the americans? but everybody believed he was a taliban sympathizer.

^^^^^
yup this one beats me completely. No idea at all about this episode playing out like it did.

I could sit up a few hours to understand how this situation panned out from the very beginning and the reasons thereof.

 

[T-Faz]

working for the americans? but everybody believed he was a taliban sympathizer.

Colonel Imam is very important for any deals with taliban or chaging the talibans idelogy.

It is a good thing indeed that he was released and hopefully he can go back to his assigned job of ending the WOT.

 

[kugga]

But why??? No taliban leader was released by the state.......
um confused about what was their purpose for kidnapping them??

 

[Irfan Baloch]

ISLAMABAD: Former ISI official Colonel Imam and a British journalist of Pakistani origin Asad Qureshi were released on Thursday in North Waziristan by a militant group calling itself the Asian Tigers.

The group belongs is believed to be operating in North Waziristan and kidnapped the two on March 26, 2010. Among the people abducted was former ISI official Khalid Khwaja, who was recently killed by the group.

Khwaja’s body was found near a stream in Karam Kot, about seven kilometres south of North Waziristan’s main town of Mirali.

Locals said they had seen Khwaja’s body, but did not pick it up for fear of attacks from the militants.

A senior official said a jirga of residents and clerics deputed by the local administration finally retrieved Khwaja’s body.

Officials said Khwaja’s body was taken to Islamabad and handed over to his family. A note was found with his body which said that Khwaja was working for the Americans and anybody working for them would meet the same fate. — DawnNews

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Kidnappers free Colonel Imam, Asad Qureshi

thanks for uploading this News
I hope they are propperly debriefed by the intellignece services

I have few questions of my own

- why Mr Khawaja was singled out for killing?
- why not Imam or the British Journalist?
- why were these 3 following the advice of Gen Hamid Gul & Aslam Baig
- what role did the Goverment/ state have in their journey to FATA?
- if state had no part then on what authority were they going there that included a foreign journalist
-why there was no claim by main TTP spokensman Azim Tariq about the killing or denial even?
-If Asian tigers are former Lal Mosque afectees & part of Ghazi force then why Burka Molvi decided to lead the funeral prayers of Mr Khawaja?(burka Molvi says that prayers of Slain Pakistani Soldiers is not allowed)

I hope the security agencies contact Hamd Gul & Gen baig as well after the debriefing of Col Imam and the journalist. to help solve this Asian Tiger mystry. which is a front name of maybe Punjabi Taliban like Lasker Jhagvi or Mullah Ghazi force.
it is most likely that this story will die out without any followup from Media and without any clarification from state.

 

[Bill Longley]

But why??? No taliban leader was released by the state.......
um confused about what was their purpose for kidnapping them??

to pressurize pakistan for operation in NWA

link dots

see the vedio of Khalid Khawaja's last confession.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LD24Df04.html
why Pak army Ambushed in NWA and who did it and who claimed

the JI rally blast

then this new arrest in New York Bomber and intelligence leaks from different agencies of US

connet dots and understand the game

BTW read this link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident

 

[kugga]

^^^^ hmmm.... quite interesting...

 

[EjazR]

Well maybe some captured taliban were released in return. That is what this group was asking in the first place. But I doubt this exchange would come out in the media straightaway

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Colonel Imam is very important for any deals with taliban or chaging the talibans idelogy.

Interesting!
1. What kind of deals can one make with Taliban?
2. How does one hope to change their idealogy?
3. What kind of changes in their idealogy can we hope for?
Was'nt that the kind of thing that the CIA, FBI, ISI and god knows who else set up with the 'Blind Sheikh' in the 'good old days'; and see how things have come to pass.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

to pressurize pakistan for operation in NWA

link dots

see the vedio of Khalid Khawaja's last confession.
Asia Times Online :: South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan
why Pak army Ambushed in NWA and who did it and who claimed

the JI rally blast

then this new arrest in New York Bomber and intelligence leaks from different agencies of US

connet dots and understand the game

BTW read this link
USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

re USS liberty
the Americans were thinking of Nuking Egypt. thinking (not daring to think about Israel) that Egypt did that.
that story is mostly hushed up. I think most Americans wont even dare to bring this up fearing for their career and bad press because it can offend Israeli Goverment which can imply anti semitism

now coming back to the story and how to mentioned other related news I can see what you are saying as if Pakistani state is being "Drummed" into that part of Waziristan
its the game of wits and maneuvers and Pakistan has to outdo its foes

 

[S.U.R.B.]

Man i don't know what's going on behind the curtain.Who did what and what happened as a result.

But on march 2010 (don't know the exact date) about 8:00am i had the opportunity to meet Col.Imam first time at a hospital in Rawalpindi in a car parking.He was there for medical checkup and was visiting his relative .It was just by chance.

Chatted with him for couple of minutes.From that conversation ,I can say He is a very good man.



My personal recent experience so i wanted to share it.

 

[T-Faz]

Interesting!
1. What kind of deals can one make with Taliban?
2. How does one hope to change their idealogy?
3. What kind of changes in their idealogy can we hope for?
Was'nt that the kind of thing that the CIA, FBI, ISI and god knows who else set up with the 'Blind Sheikh' in the 'good old days'; and see how things have come to pass.

You should look up as to what Colonel Imam is and the kind of background he has.

He was the ISI operative, trained in US, who created the mujahideen groups. He then went on to create the Taliban, this guy holds a lot of leverage over these groups and can make them do as he says.

The blind sheikh was a power hungry Islamist, Colonel Imam on the other hand serves the country and looks for the best possible deal. He can bring taliban to the negotiating table, introduce them to a new and fair society and change their thinking by making the wahabi ideology look bad.

This guy is just doing his job. He is not in this to start his own group or terrorise someone.

 

[Bill Longley]

re USS liberty
the Americans were thinking of Nuking Egypt. thinking (not daring to think about Israel) that Egypt did that.
that story is mostly hushed up. I think most Americans wont even dare to bring this up fearing for their career and bad press because it can offend Israeli Goverment which can imply anti semitism

now coming back to the story and how to mentioned other related news I can see what you are saying as if Pakistani state is being "Drummed" into that part of Waziristan
its the game of wits and maneuvers and Pakistan has to outdo its foes

you see yes there are serious problems in NWA which should be adressed by government but at present army is very over streached.

our 8 divisions are fighting in different agencies of FATA( in 1965 we had only 6 or 7 divisions who fought against INDIA)

we have ongoing operations in Aurakzai, SWA, Khurram and Khyber

we cannot afford to launch operation in NWA at present. But as US is in trubles in Afghanistan it want us to forgo our national intrests and putting pressure on us by such ways

http://mbik14.blogspot.com/2010/05/operation-in-north-waziristan.html

thats what I understand

 

[Capt.Popeye]

@T-Faz

The blind sheikh was a power hungry Islamist, Colonel Imam on the other hand serves the country and looks for the best possible deal. He can bring taliban to the negotiating table, introduce them to a new and fair society and change their thinking by making the wahabi ideology look bad.

This guy is just doing his job. He is not in this to start his own group or terrorise someone.

[/QUOTE]

How much leverage he can exert, time will tell.
You are optimistic that the Taliban will disown their ideology; wish you well for that. Am of the opinion however that Taliban are not likely to change very much. At the very least, they will be like a loose cannon(s); at worst, they will be like Frankenstein(s), beyond reach of their very creators.
Wait and watch.