Kidnapped journalist appeals to CJ, Army

PESHAWAR: A journalist and documentary-maker, Assad Qureshi, who is in Taliban captivity for the past four months, has appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas to make efforts for his release and save his life.

In a video message released by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami led by a militant commander Abidullah Mansoor, the journalist said it was his last message. He deplored that the government had not taken any step for his release.

He said four people were kidnapped by a group of militants in North Waziristan on March 26, 2010 and he was one of them. Other members of the group, he said, were Khalid Khwaja, Col Imam and Rustam Khan.

A bearded Rustam Khan, who Assad Qureshi said was his servant working with him in Islamabad for years, for the first time appeared in the video. In the past the militants only released videos of Khalid Khwaja, who was beheaded by the kidnappers sometime back.

Assad Qureshi said he had informed director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Athar Abbas and others before his visit to North Waziristan. He claimed he had worked with ISPR on a film in Swat and South Waziristan in the past, but it had now ignored him. “I request DG ISPR to use his influence for our release. I also appeal Chief Justice Mr Iftikhar Chaudhry to kindly work for our release as our government has not made any effort so far,” the journalist said in the video.

He asked the government to accept demands by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami, otherwise the group would kill them one by one. “This is the last message of my life as these people may not give us more time,” he said.