Talks for VC’s release face deadlock

posted in dawn

Negotiations for release of the Kohat university vice-chancellor have reached a deadlock after militants put forward tough conditions to the government, sources told Dawn on Thursday.

Kohat University of Science and Technology vice-chancellor Dr Lutfullah Kakakhel was kidnapped on Nov 6, 2009, from the Akhorwal area in Darra Adamkhel by seven armed people.

Talks for his release hit snags after the killing of 17 tribesmen whose bodies were found in a graveyard in Darra Adamkhel last month, the sources said.

A Taliban spokesman, while talking to Dawn, alleged that these tribesmen had been taken hostage by security forces during search operations during the last four months for their blood relationship with their different commanders and fighters, and then had been killed in custody.

Earlier, the Taliban had demanded the release of four people and end to military operation in Darra Adamkhel to free the vice-chancellor.

Some progress had been made in the talks, but the Taliban leaders suspended dialogue after the deaths of the tribesmen.

Highly-placed sources told Dawn that Taliban chief for Darra Adamkhel and Khyber Agency Tariq Afridi had now demanded release of all tribesmen arrested from Darra Adamkhel, whose number is in hundreds.

He has also demanded a ransom of Rs50 million and handing over of 60 important TTP members who have been in the custody of security forces for two years.